The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 6,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 361,000. The decline suggests hiring will continue to pick up modestly.

Here are the states with the biggest increases and decreases in applications. The state-level data is for the week ended July 28, one week behind the national data.

States with the biggest decreases:

—Kentucky: Down 4,884, no reason given

—California: Down 4,738, due to fewer layoffs in the services industry

—Georgia: Down 2,206, due to fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, health care and hotel and restaurant industries

—Florida: Down 1,840, no reason given

—Ohio: Down 1,810, no reason given

State with the biggest increase:

—New York, up 3,250, due to layoffs in the construction, retail trade and health care services industries