U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ending January 3 totaled 208,000, slightly below the anticipated 210,000. The previous week's claims were revised upward from 199,000 to 200,000. In a separate report, the U.S. trade balance for October showed a deficit of $29.4 billion, significantly lower than the expected $58.9 billion. The prior month's trade deficit was revised from $52.8 billion to $48.1 billion, indicating a stronger trade position than initially reported.