Jobless claims drop sharply

WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) -- First-time claims for U.S. unemployment insurance dropped 52,000 during the week ending July 4, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The 565,000 initial benefits claims contributed to a four-week rolling average of 606,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's rolling average of 616,000.

The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.5 percent.

The biggest increases in claims for the week ending June 27 were reported by New Jersey, with 7,876 additional claims; Massachusetts, which added 4,730; and Kansas, which added 4,469, the report said.

State-by-state statistics lag a week behind the national report.

For the week ending June 27, the biggest decreases were reported by Florida, with a decline of 12,493 claims; Illinois, declining by 5,321; and Pennsylvania, with 3,949 fewer claims than the week of June 20.