By The News Service of Florida
An estimated 5,427 first-time jobless claims were filed in Florida last week, according to a U.S. Department of Labor estimate out Thursday.
The figure is down from a revised count of 5,645 for the week ending Jan. 31.
The estimate also marked the fourth consecutive week with a decline in Florida’s numbers after a spike to 7,146 the post-holiday week ending Jan. 10.
Nationally, 227,000 claims were filed last week, down 5,000 from the week ending February 7.
On Wednesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics edged down the national unemployment rate from 4.4 percent to 4.3 percent, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 130,000 for January.
Florida’s jobless rate also stands at 4.3 percent, reflecting mid-December conditions.