WASHINGTON, March 27 (UPI) -- First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell to 366,000 in the week ending March 22, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.
The drop of 9,000 claims shifted the four-week moving average to 358,000 from the previous week's average of 365,250, the report said. A year ago, the four-week average was 312,000.
The U.S. unemployment rate remains unchanged at 4.8 percent.
The department's figures on states, which lag a week behind the national report, said unemployment claims in Michigan rose by 6,700 in the week ending March 15. Ohio experienced a gain of 5,486 that week, while Missouri gained 3,235.
Decreases in initial jobless benefits claims for the week ending March 15 were reported in California, New York, Wisconsin, Georgia and Florida.
