Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell sharply during the week ended March 10 to 351,000 from 365,000 during the previous period, initially estimated at 362,000. Claims averaged 355,750 (-8.4% y/y) during the last four weeks. The figures remain the lowest since March 2008. The latest compared to Consensus expectations for 358,000. During the last ten years there has been a 74% correlation between the level of claims and the m/m change in nonfarm payrolls.

Continuing claims for unemployment insurance fell to 3.343M during the week of March 3, still near their lowest since August 2008. The insured rate of unemployment fell to 2.6%, the lowest also since August 2008. This particular count covers only "regular" programs and does not include all extended benefit and other specialized jobless insurance programs. In the week of February 25th, the latest figure available, the grand total of all benefit recipients ticked up to 7.424MM (-17.1% y/y).

By state, the insured unemployment rate varied as of February 25 with Virginia (1.6%), Texas (1.7%), Florida (1.9%), Louisiana (2.1%), Arizona (2.2%), Tennessee (2.3%), and Ohio (2.7%) at the low end of the range. At the high end were rates in New York (3.7%), Maine (3.8%), California (4.1%), Michigan (4.2%), Massachusetts (4.2%), New Jersey (4.4%), and Pennsylvania (4.8%).

Data on weekly unemployment insurance programs are contained in Haver's WEEKLY database, including the seasonal factor series, and they are summarized monthly in USECON. Data for individual states, including the unemployment rates that determine individual state eligibility for the extended benefits programs and specific "tiers" of the emergency program, are in REGIONW, a database of weekly data for states and various regional divisions. Action Economics consensus estimates are in AS1REPNA.