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Jobless claims dip slightly
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March 22, 2001: 8:54 a.m. ET
But four-week moving average reaches the highest level since April of 1996
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - The number of people filing new jobless claims dipped slightly in the United States last week, the government said Thursday, but the figure came in higher than economists had forecast.
The Labor Department said new claims for state unemployment benefits fell 1,000 to 379,000 last week from a revised 380,000 the prior week.
Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a reading of 368,000 for last week.
The closely watched four-week moving average jumped to 377,000, the highest since April 13, 1996, when the figure was 388,500. Economists watch the four-week moving average more closely because it gives a better reading on the health of the labor market by smoothing out fluctuations in the weekly data.
Seven states and Puerto Rico reported an increase in claims of more than 1,000 in the week ended March 10, the latest period for which the data are available. Among the largest were Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas.
Pennsylvania reported layoffs in the construction, trade and electrical equipment industries. Ohio said more layoffs were reported in transport equipment.
-- from staff and wire reports 
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