WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices jumped in February by the largest amount in seven years, with Arizona among the nation’s five biggest gainers.
The increases are further evidence that the housing recovery strengthened ahead of the all-important spring-buying season.

WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices jumped in February by the largest amount in seven years, with Arizona among the nation’s five biggest gainers.
The increases are further evidence that the housing recovery strengthened ahead of the all-important spring-buying season.

WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans sought unemployment aid last week, reducing the average number of weekly applications last month to a five-year low. The drop shows that fewer layoffs are strengthening the job market.
The Labor Department said Thursday that applications fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 332,000. That cut the four-week average to 346,750, the lowest since March 2008, just several months after the Great Recession began.