Economists Expect Slight Decrease in Weekly Unemployment Claims on Thursday

NEW YORK (AP) -- Last week's dismal jobs report for March reinforced the view of many economists that the nation is already in a recession.

The monthly report showed the unemployment rate jumped to 5.1 percent. Tomorrow, the Labor Department reports on how many workers filed for initial unemployment claims last week.

Economists are projecting a slight decrease, on average, from the prior week's 407,000. The estimates, though, range from 375,000 to 410,000. The weekly figures can be volatile.