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The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits surged 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 329,000 last week, though the gain likely reflected temporary layoffs in the week before Easter. Despite the volatility, applications have been declining in recent months.
Here are the states with the biggest increases and decreases in applications. The data is for the week that ended March 1, one week behind the national figures:
States with the biggest increases:
California: Up 9,213, due to layoffs in the service industry
Michigan: Up 2,900, no reason given
Pennsylvania: Up 2,618, due to layoffs in administrative services and construction
Texas: Up 1,792, due to layoffs in manufacturing, information and health care
Indiana: Up 1,723, no reason given
States with the biggest decreases:
Oregon: Down 2,244, no reason given
Georgia: Down 1,602, due to fewer layoffs in manufacturing
Ohio: Down 1,007, no reason given
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