Unemployment claims in Washington declined last week

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Washington 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 5,140 in the week ending March 16, down from 5,685 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 210,000 last week, down 2,000 claims from 212,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Missouri saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 50.8%. Oregon, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 51.4%.

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.