Feb. 16, 2012 - Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Claims for jobless benefits dropped 13,000 in the week ended Feb. 11 to 348,000, Labor Department figures showed today. The median survey estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected an increase to 365,000. The January producer price index rose 0.1 percent following a 0.1 percent decrease the prior month. Housing starts rose 1.5 percent to a 699,000 annual rate from December's 689,000 pace that was stronger than previously reported. Betty Liu reports on Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop." (Source: Bloomberg) (Bloomberg)