The number of new unemployment claims, a measure of layoffs, hovered at 1,903 for the week ending Oct. 26, in line with the previous week, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims fell to 216,000 last week, a decline of 12,000 claims from 228,000 the week before on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Alaska experienced the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims increasing 63.0%. North Carolina, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage decline in new claims, with claims down 45.5%.