Manufacturing layoffs boosted the number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance in 12 states last week. However, nationwide initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 299,000 for the week ending Oct. 14, a decrease of 10,000 from the revised total of 309,000 for the week ending Oct. 7, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Oct. 19.
The department's four-week moving average of initial claims also decreased last week, falling to 307,750 claims, a decline of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 313,500.
