U.S. initial jobless claims declined in the week ending March 14, signaling continued strength in the labor market. According to the US Department of Labor, new claims for unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 to 205,000, coming in below market expectations of 215,000 and down from the previous week’s revised level of 213,000.
The four-week moving average, which helps smooth out weekly volatility, also edged lower by 750 to 210,750.
However, continuing jobless claims—which reflect the number of people still receiving benefits—rose by 10,000 to 1.86 million for the week ending March 7.
Overall, the data points to a resilient labor market, with layoffs remaining relatively low despite broader economic uncertainties.