These numbers are quite low by historical standards, but the bump up in unemployment claims could hurt stock performance. The jobless claims numbers are the final piece of important economic data to arrive in the 2015 trading year. 5. -- Citizen-taxi service Uber has announced it has given its billionth ride. It look Uber five and a half years in business to reach the milestone. Uber has contended with legal challenges to its business model and its employment practices, but its valuation has soared to an estimated $65 billion. Uber is privately held and seems to be in no hurry to go public. 6. -- Crude oil price declines have dominated the markets in 2015, and that was no different Wednesday as prices fell further. The energy sector was the worst performer in the markets Wednesday. Exxon Mobil , Kinder Morgan , Chevron and Schlumberger were all lower, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF fell 1.2%. Although cheap fuel has helped to boost consumer spending, it has pushed inflation down and lowered overall market returns. Oil prices Thursday remained near 11-year lows. As U.S. oil is prepared for export for the first time in 40 years, investors aren't predicting higher oil prices any time soon. West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the U.S. measure, was well under $37 a barrel Thursday. 7. -- Puerto Rico will default on almost $174 million in bond principal and interest payments on Friday, its governor said Wednesday. Payments are planned to continue for general obligation bonds, which have legal priority and stronger protections, but lower-grade bonds will fall into default (although some of those payments will in fact be made). Puerto Rico has a crushing debt load but cannot legally default on general obligation bonds. Although the island, which is a U.S. possession, has appealed for relief to Congress, little help has been forthcoming. High-yield investors may feel the sting from the default, as some municipal bond funds have turned to higher-yielding Puerto Rican debt to boost returns. 8. -- The much-awaited Consumer Electronics Show opens on Monday, Jan. 4, in Las Vegas and runs until Saturday, Jan. 9. Tech-watchers are expecting more sophisticated versions of virtual reality headsets, drones, self-driving cars, wearable technology like smartwatches, and advances in the Internet of Things (or interconnected everyday objects). The full schedule for CES has been released, with thousands of exhibits and an expected audience of close to 200,000. 9. -- The U.S. is said to be planning sanctions to retaliate against Iran's ballistic missile program. The sanctions mark a decline in relations since a July nuclear deal was reached with Iran. Two ballistic missiles were tested by Iran since that deal, and Iran also tested rockets uncomfortably close to a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf this week. The sanctions are designed to hurt companies that do business with Iran's ballistic missile program. Iran is pushing back, saying the sanctions violate the nuclear framework. 10. -- No earnings reports are scheduled for Thursday, which is the final trading day for 2015. Markets will be closed Friday for the New Year's Day holiday. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramer’s multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potentially HUGE winners. Click here to see his holdings for FREE.
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