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After recent reports that were disappointing, Thursday's news was more positive. An estimated 346,000 people filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance, down 42,000 from the week before.

The House of Representative Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan says he sees hope for a bipartisan budget agreement for the first time since President Obama came to office.

The administration's budget still matters, even though it's late and the House and Senate have approved their own spending blueprints for fiscal 2014. President Obama laid down markers that could lead to changes in Medicare and Medicaid and affect funding for a broad array of health programs.

A nearly 14 percent drop in first-quarter sales of PCs is attributed in large part to interest in mobile devices — as well as a lukewarm reaction Microsoft's latest operating system.

The central bank made a mistake. It sent minutes from its most recent policy meeting to a small group of influential institutions, including some major banks, a day earlier than scheduled. But the minutes are always weeks old. Why are they important? Because they contain clues to the Fed's thinking.

Animal-rights activists in Pennsylvania are fighting to end pigeon shoots in the state. The tradition includes shooting at the birds after they're sprung from boxes into the air. Opponents call the practice "cruel," but hunters and sportsmen are wary of any step toward more regulations.

Main Street for April 11

The assessment says such a weapon would probably not be very reliable. This is the first time the U.S. has concluded that Pyongyang's nuclear efforts have reached this point.

Few expected the Bank of Japan's program to buy up government bonds to dwarf the Federal Reserve's similar effort in the U.S. Japan's stock market has soared and the yen's value tumbled. Thus far, the move is boosting exports, but is also making Asian competitors nervous.

A Defense Intelligence Agency report suggests that North Korea has the ability to make nuclear weapons small enough to put on a missile. That does not necessarily mean that North Korea has the capacity to launch a nuclear attack.