ECONOMY

First-Time Jobless Claims Up: The Labor Department reported an increase of 32,000 in the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time. The figure reversed much of the previous week’s decline. The department said a seasonally adjusted 346,000 initial claims were filed during the week ended March 5. Analysts said they had expected the rise, since the previous week was shortened by a holiday. The increase reflected severe winter weather in the Northeast and Midwest, and probably lingering effects of January’s earthquakes in Southern California.