Initial jobless claims fell 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 439,000 for the week ending March 27, tying the lowest level of the year, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
Continuing claims decreased to 4.662 million for the week ending March 20, the sixth consecutive week without an increase.
Continuing claims are at the lowest level since December 2008.
Economists expected 440,000 initial claims and 4.600 million continuing claims, according to the median estimate from Thomson Reuters.
The 439,000 initial claims ties the lowest level of the year, matching the week ended Feb. 6.
Initial claims for the week ending March 20 were revised higher to 445,000 from 442,000. Initial claims have fallen from a recent high of 651,000 claims set in March 2009.
The four-week moving average of initial claims, a less volatile figure, fell to 447,350, the third consecutive decline and the lowest level since September 2008.
The four-week average for continuing claims has fallen for 26 straight weeks to 4.679 million.