Louisiana jobless claims are up again. What it means

Initial unemployment insurance claims grew in Louisiana for a second consecutive week, according to figures released Friday by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. 

Initial claims in Louisiana grew 7.4% last week ending March 8, as compared to the previous week. Claims are also 0.32% higher than they were for the same period last year. 

The increases of initial claims in Louisiana follow national trends. Slightly more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, according to figures released Thursday.

The four-week moving average of initial claims, which smooths out short-term fluctuations and highlights longer-term trends, slightly decreased 0.8% to 1,504, from the previous week’s average of 1,516. 

Continued claims for the week also dropped slightly, from 11,160 claims to 11,091. The continued claims are slightly higher than last March.