Unemployment claims in New York declined last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in New York dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 14,558 in the week ending March 15, down from 14,938 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 223,000 last week, up 2,000 claims from 221,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Mississippi saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 190.6%. Virgin Islands, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 45.7%.

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This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Unemployment claims in New York declined last week