The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance last week fell by 3,250 to a total of 289,750 from the previous week’s upwardly revised average of 293,000, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended Feb. 7 rose by 25,000 to a total of 304,000 from the previous week’s upwardly revised figure of 279,000.

MarketWatch reports claims topped the 300,000 mark in early February for the fourth time in the past six weeks, a sign that the pace of layoffs is starting to level off after an extended decline.

No special factors impacted this week’s initial claims, according to the Department of Labor.