Unemployment Claims Decline Across Multiple US States

Initial filings for unemployment benefits across several U.S. states, including South Dakota, Minnesota, Maryland, Michigan, and Kansas, declined in the week ending July 19 compared to the prior week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Nationally, unemployment claims fell by 4,000 to 217,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. Despite this overall improvement, Kentucky experienced the largest percentage increase in weekly claims at 164.9%, while Mississippi saw the largest percentage decrease, with claims dropping by 50.3%. These figures serve as a proxy for layoffs and indicate mixed trends in the labor market across different states. The USA TODAY Network is disseminating localized versions of this report based on the Department of Labor data. This data reflects ongoing shifts in employment conditions as measured by weekly unemployment insurance claims.