U.S. stocks opened mixed ahead of a shortened trading week. Before the bell, investors got the latest claims data that showed the number of Americans filing for jobless benefits dropped last week. Initial claims fell to 268,000 for the week ending on March 28. The number of people continuing to receive benefits was also down to the lowest reading since December 2000 to 2.33 million for the week ending March 21. The Labor Department’s jobs report will still release Friday, despite the market’s close. McDonald’s (MCD) is giving its workers a raise. The fast-food giant will increase pay by at least $1 above minimum wage for 90,000 employees by July 1st. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is on track to pay $9 billion to struggling homeowners. It’s part of a settlement to provide relief after fraudulent mortgage-backed securities. The deal comes in form of mortgage forgiveness, financing and disaster area lending.
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