Jobless claims fall 27,000 employmentJobless claims fall for weekClaims for jobless benefits plunged last week, showing U.S. employers have little need to trim staff as demand improves. A drop in firings will probably help workers feel more secure in their jobs, which, combined with a housing-market rebound and rising stock prices, may bolster consumer confidence and in turn spending. Sustained pickups in hiring and incomes would ensure that households have the means to overcome the burden of a higher payroll tax. "The labor market is improving, but only at a very steady pace," said Yelena Shulyatyeva, a U.S. economist at BNP Paribas in New York, who had the lowest forecast in a Bloomberg survey. amusementsDubai to vie for tallest wheelDubai, the Persian Gulf sheikhdom with the tallest building and biggest shopping mall, plans to build a Ferris wheel that would beat New York's attempt to set the world height record with a Staten Island attraction.