Fewer Minnesotans seek unemployment benefits

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Fewer Minnesotans filed claims for unemployment benefits in June than in the same month a year earlier, marking the second straight year-over-year drop after more than two years of increases.

The state said Friday that 22,458 initial claims were filed in June, an 8.4 percent decline from a year ago.

The pace of manufacturing layoffs again improved, with a 40.6 percent year-over-year decline to 5,136 claims last month.