WASHINGTON (AFX) - Initial claims for regular state unemployment benefits fell 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 377,000 for the week ended March 9 from the previous week, the Labor Department said. The decline in claims was in line with Wall Street economists' expectations. Jobless claims for the week ended March 2 were revised down by 1,000 to 380,000, compared with the initial estimate of a 20,000 increase to 381,000. The four-week moving average for initial jobless claims rose 1,000 to 374,750. On an unadjusted basis, claims fell 4,398 to 380,662 for the week ended March 9. There were 378,122 claims in the comparable week of 2001. For the week ended March 2, the insured unemployment rate was 2.7 pct, up from 2.6 pct in the previous week. Continuing jobless claims for the week ended March 2 rose 96,000 to 3.48 mln. Continuing claims include workers who have already filed an initial jobless claim, and are now drawing unemployment benefits.