Unemployment claims in Arkansas declined last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Arkansas 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 1,143 in the week ending September 21, down from 1,171 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 218,000 last week, down 4,000 claims from 222,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Alaska saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 37.7%. South Carolina, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 32%.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor's weekly unemployment insurance claims report .

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Unemployment claims in Arkansas declined last week