DES MOINES, Iowa - New weekly jobless numbers for Iowa show a continuing positive trend.
Ongoing claims, which reflect the state's actual unemployment rate, are down for the 9th week in a row.
Ongoing claims are down 6.5 percent from the week before, and are and are now about a third of what they were during their peak 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 claims also dropped in Iowa, according figures released Thursday morning by the U.S. Labor Department.
By the numbers, continuing claims are down by 5,300 in the last week, from 70,953 in the previous week to 65.653 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 64 percent from the high mark.
First time claims are down slightly, from 5,252 to 4,962 in the most recent week, a drop of 290.
Unemployment insurance benefit payments totaled $18,386,679.39, down from $20,169,684.43 in the previous week, a drop of roughly $1.8 million.
The industries with the most jobless claims in the last week are listed below:
- Construction (1,174)
- Manufacturing (890)
- Self-employed, Independent Contractors, etc (531)
- Health Care & Social Assistance (415)
- Accommodation & Food Services (332)