DES MOINES, Iowa - New weekly jobless numbers for Iowa show a continuing positive trend.
Ongoing claims, which reflects the state's actual unemployment rate, are down for the 7th week in a row.
Ongoing claims are down 8 percent from the week before, and are down 60 percent since peaking in early May.
Overall unemployment is still at a historic high, 8.0 percent for the state, but the new numbers show a continuing positive trend
First time jobless dropped slightly in Iowa, according figures released Thursday morning by the U.S. Labor Department.
By the numbers, continuing claims are down by 6,480 in the last week, from 83,312 in the previous week to 76,832 in the latest week.
By comparison, ongoing claims peaked in the first week of May at 191,257. The current numbers show a drop of 60 percent from the high mark.
First time claims are down slightly, from 6,384 to 6,377 in the most recent week. That's a jump of 25 percent.