Labor Department reported Thursday Initial jobless claims, a measure of layoffs, fell by 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 340.000 in the week ended March 2.
The number of continuing claims inched up by 3.000 to 3.09 mln in the week ended Feb. 23. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag.
  A Labor Department analyst said there were no unusual factors in the latest data.