U.S. weekly unemployment benefit applications rose last week to a seasonally adjusted 386,000, the Labor Department said.
The increase suggests layoffs are up and hiring will stay sluggish for a fourth straight month. But no state reported an increase of more than 1,000.
— Here are the states with the biggest decreases in applications:
California: Down 4,168, due to fewer layoffs in services and retail
North Carolina: Down 2,683, due to fewer layoffs in construction and food service
Texas: Down 1,854, no reason given
Massachusetts: Down 1,373, due to fewer layoffs in hotels and restaurants
Georgia: Down 1,367, due to fewer layoffs in health care, retail and construction
Missouri: Down 1,252, due to fewer layoffs in hotels and restaurants
