In the week ended Jan. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 301,000, a decrease of 21,000, or 6.5%, from the previous week's unrevised figure of 322,000. The four-week moving average was 328,500, a decrease of 11,750 from the previous week's revised average of 340,250.

In the most recent state numbers, for the week ending Jan. 5, New York registered the largest increase in initial unemployment claims, up 30,314. The state cited layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries. Michigan posted the largest decrease, down 22,130. It reported fewer layoffs in the auto industry.