Janie Koselda

More people signed up for unemployment benefits in the week ending January 3rd, 208,000, though the increase of 8,000 is modest and below what economists were predicting.

The number of those remaining on benefits continuing claims also rose in the week ending December 27th to 1.91 million.

The monthly employment report is released Friday morning.

Economists are predicting 55,000 to 60,000 new jobs were created in December, slightly less than in November, and it's believed the unemployment rate nudged lower to 4.5%.

Janie Koselda, Fox News.