Unemployment benefit roll at 5.5 million

Hopes that the economy may be poised for a recovery got a splash of reality Thursday: The unemployment rolls are still getting bigger as the recession maintains its grip.AP in the Daily News.

For the 10th week in a row, the number of people receiving jobless benefits grew. It now stands at nearly 5.6 million, the government said - an indication that the labor market is still grim.

New claims for unemployment benefits rose again as well, to a seasonally adjusted 652,000, up from 644,000 the week before. The government also said the economy shrank at a 6.3 percent annual clip in the fourth quarter, slightly faster than its previous estimate.