Jobless claims inch down, but still high

The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits inched down last week, but remains high.

Four hundred and four thousand people filed initial unemployment claims, the Labor Department said. That's down by just 1000 from last week. Analysts had predicted a slightly bigger decline, to around 401,000.

Economists say that with weekly claims hovering around 400,000, there's little chance that the broader jobless rate-- currently at 9.1 percent--will drop significantly.

The economy added 103,000 jobs last month--more than expected, but still not close to enough to make a real dent in the unemployment rate.