Initial Jobless Claims Unchanged Last Week

Washington, DC, Feb. 23, 2012 -- Initial applications for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, according to the Labor Department.

The government said initial claims were flat at a seasonally adjusted 351,000.

Economists had estimated claims would increase to 353,000 in the week ended Feb. 18. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 351,000 from 348,000 .

The four-week average of claims, meanwhile, fell by 7,000 to 359,000, marking the lowest level since March 2008.