The number of U.S. initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended March 20 fell by 14,000, or 3.1%, to 442,000 from the previous week's revised number of 456,000, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

This week's numbers reflect an annual revision to seasonal adjustment factors. The Associated Press reported jobless claims would have only fallen to 453,000 without the adjustment.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended March 20 fell by 11,000, or 2.4%, to 453,750 from the previous week's revised average of 464,750.