The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, a hopeful sign that hiring could pick up in coming months.

Here are states with the biggest increases and decreases in applications. The data are for the week ended April 28, one week behind the national data:

States with the biggest decreases

New York: Down 21,258, because of fewer layoffs in transportation, educational service and food services

California: Down 6,790, because of fewer layoffs in the service industries

Massachusetts: Down 2,530, no reason given

Georgia: Down 2,110, because of fewer layoffs in manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, health care and social assistance and trade

Connecticut: Down 1,708, because of fewer layoffs in educational services

North Carolina: Down 1,570, because of fewer layoffs in the food products, textiles, electronics and leather industries and in companies that couldn't be classified

New Jersey: Down 1,201, because of fewer layoffs in transportation and warehousing, hotels and restaurants, information, manufacturing, health care and social assistance

Arizona: Down 1,169, no reason given

Michigan: Down 1,139 because of fewer layoffs by manufacturers

States with the biggest increases:

Indiana: Up 2,294, because of layoffs in transportation and manufacturing

Florida: Up 1,767, because of layoffs in agriculture, construction, trade, retail, services and manufacturing

Illinois: Up 1,512, because of layoffs in manufacturing, construction and the administration support industry

Pennsylvania: Up, 1,121, because of layoffs in the construction, entertainment, hotel, food service, retail, professional, scientific and technology industries