Initial unemployment claims fell to 357,000 in the week ended March 31, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 363,000, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average of initial claims, which reduces the volatility of the weekly numbers, was 361,750, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 366,000.