(WASHINGTON) -- Jobless claims continued their downward trend in the first full week of March, falling by 10,000, according to the latest figures released Thursday by the Labor Department.

For the week ending March 9, the number of people filing for benefits dropped to 332,000.  The previous week, claims stood at 342,000.

The four-week average also fell, decreasing by 2,750 to 346,750.

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