By The Associated Press
Major business events and economic events scheduled for Thursday: WASHINGTON â¿¿ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m. Eastern. WASHINGTON â¿¿ Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m. WASHINGTON â¿¿ Joint Economic Committee hearing on the "fiscal cliff." H&R Block Inc. reports quarterly financial results. FRANKFURT, Germany â¿¿ European Central Bank's governing council meets to set interest rates for the eurozone. BERLIN â¿¿ Germany releases industrial orders figures for October.