How states fared on jobless claims, at a glance

The Labor Department said today that new claims for jobless benefits fell last week to their lowest levels in two years. But much of that drop was a result of seasonal factors, as General Motors and other manufacturers skipped their usual summer shutdowns that customarily inflate claims this time of year.

Here’s a look at the states with the biggest changes in initial jobless claims, and some of the reasons for the shifts. The state data is for the week ending July 3, one week behind the nationwide figures.

States reporting the largest increases in claims:

New York: Up 8,066, due to layoffs in the service and transportation industries

New Jersey: Up 6,167, due to layoffs in trade, service and manufacturing industries

Michigan: Up 5,323

Illinois: Up 3,034, due to layoffs in trade, service and manufacturing industries

Ohio: Up 2,926, due to layoffs in manufacturing

States reporting the largest drops in claims:

Florida: Down 3,586, due to fewer layoffs in construction, services, manufacturing and agriculture

Georgia: Down 2,182, due to fewer layoffs in construction, services and manufacturing

Connecticut: Down 1,261

Pennsylvania: Down 1,047, due to fewer layoffs in services and transportation

Iowa: Down 809