Initial claims for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts fell last week compared to the week before, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New unemployment claims, a gauge for layoffs, fell to 5,214 in the week ending Oct. 19, down from 5,702 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims fell to 227,000 last week, a decline of 15,000 claims from 242,000 the week before on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Florida saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims increasing 67.9%. Nebraska, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage decline in new claims, with claims down 47.1%.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites nationwide, generated from data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
This article originally appeared in The Herald News: Unemployment claims in Massachusetts fell last week
