Consumer Confidential: More shopping, more jobs, more miracles

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Here’s your Christmas Eve roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- If you put off your holiday shopping until the last minute, it’s time to pay. Not higher prices -- crowded malls. Shoppers are out in force today trying to scoop up bargains as the clock ticks down to Christmas. For some people, this is fun. For others (as in me), this sounds like an early lump of coal. On the other hand, I’ve got my eye on a few goodies that I’m thinking will be marked down big-time online once the holiday’s over.

-- We’re getting there. The latest word from the economic trenches is that jobless claims are at a 15-month low. According to the Labor Department, seasonally adjusted initial claims in the week ending Dec. 19 was 452,000, down 28,000 from the previous week’s unrevised figure of 480,000. That’s a whole lot better than the 470,000 figure expected by economists. Thanks, Santa.

--The Senate has passed a healthcare overhaul bill. Who says there are no more miracles?

-- David Lazarus