*SCALPSWINGSTRADDLE*

[Zephyr]

Jobless Claims
Released On 3/20/2014 8:30:00 AM For wk3/15, 2014
Prior Prior Revised Consensus Consensus Range Actual
New Claims - Level 315 K 315 K 325 K 320 K to 335 K 320 K
4-week Moving Average - Level 330.50 K 330.50 K 327.00 K
New Claims - Change -9 K -9 K 5 K
Highlights
The early outlook for the March employment report is positive, at least based on a sample-week to sample-week comparison of initial jobless claims. Initial claims came in at a lower-than-expected 320,000 in the March 15 week vs 334,000 in the February 15 week. The same comparison of the 4-week averages shows similar improvement, at 327,000 vs 338,500. The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles data for the monthly employment report during one week each month, the week that contains the 12th of the month.

Continuing claims, which are reported with a week's lag, rose 41,000 in the March 8 week to 2.889 million. The 4-week average is down 17,000 to 2.897 million which is more than 50,000 below the month-ago comparison. The unemployment rate for insured employees is at 2.2 percent for a third straight week.

There are no special factors in today's report, one that gives a little boost to the economic outlook.