In the week ended Nov. 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 330,000, a decrease of 11,000, or 3.2%, from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The four-week moving average was 329,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 330,500.

In the most recent state numbers, for the week ended Nov. 10, Michigan posted the largest increase in initial unemployment claims, up 6,895. The state cited layoffs in the auto industry. Iowa recorded the largest decrease, down 2,397.