Initial Jobless Applications Continue Trend Down

Washington, DC,  March 15, 2012 -- Initial applications for unemployment benefits fell by 14,000 last week and matched a four-year low, the Labor Department said.

Initial claims dropped to a seasonally adjusted 351,000 from 365,000, the government reported. Claims from the prior week were revised up from 362,000.

Economists  had estimated claims would fall to 355,000 in the week ended March 10.

Also Thursday, the Labor Department said continuing claims decreased by 81,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.34 million in the week ended March 3.