Jobless claims rise modestly; continuing claims fall

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose only modestly last week, indicating the labor market remained on solid footing despite slowing economic growth. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 292,000 for the week ended March 14, the Labor Department said on Thursday. A Labor Department analyst said there was nothing unusual in the state-level data. The claims data covered the period during which the government surve