IBD'S TOP 10.(A)

More Deaths As Arafat OKs Truce

1Yasser Arafat said he's ready for an immediate cease-fire with Israel "without any conditions." His announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet met to consider its response to the Passover suicide bombing that killed 20 and injured over 100. Palestinian gunmen on the West Bank shot dead three Jewish settlers.

GDP Gets Revised Up For 4th Qtr

2The economy was hit hard by the recession and terror attack, but bounced back stronger than first thought late in the year, new data show. GDP grew at a 1.7% yearly rate, faster than the 1.4% estimated in February, the Commerce Department said. Stronger trade data boosted growth. For 2001, GDP grew 1.2%, after rising 4.1% in 2000 and 1999. More on this page, A2

Jobless Claims At 2-Month High

3New claims swelled 18,000 to 394,000 in the week ended March 23. That was far above forecasts of a dip to 369,000. But claims remain below 400,000, a level many economists deem recessionary. The four-week average rose 3,250 to 383,500, an eight-week high. Continuing claims rose to 3.53 mil in the week ended March 16, the most recent data available.

Chicago Factories Pick Up Steam