WASHINGTON - Seasonally adjusted Initial claims fell to 382,000 for the week ending March 19, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
Continuing claims were 3.721 million for the week ending March 12, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3.723 million and the lowest level since Sept. 27, 2008 when continuing claims were 3.658 million.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected 385,000 initial claims and 3.700 million of continuing claims, according to the median estimate.
The four-week moving average for initial claims was 385,250, a decline of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 386,750, the lowest since July 12, 2008 when it was 385,000.
The four-week moving average for continuing claims 3.755 million, a drop of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3.783 million, the lowest since Oct. 18, 2008, when it was 3.716 million.
All states reported initial claims except Alaska and the Labor Department estimated claims for that state, an official said.
Six states reported decreases of more than 1,000 unadjusted initial claims for the week ending March 12. No states reported an increase of more than 1,000.
