US: weekly jobless claims increase by 24,000 to 242,000

“In the week ending March 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised level,” the US Department of Labor reported this Thursday.

Key points:

   •  The previous week's level was revised up by 3,000 from 215,000 to 218,000. 

   •  The 4-week moving average was 228,250, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average. 

   •  The previous week's average was revised up by 750 from 224,500 to 225,250.