FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Local unemployment claims are continuing to trend downward as more people are getting back to work.

According to data from Purdue Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute, unemployment claims in northeast Indiana’s 11 counties – Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley – dropped 25% between May 2nd and May 23rd, going from a peak of 39,104 to 29,443.

Allen County itself had a record 18,615 claims for the week ending May 2nd, which dropped 16% to 15,543 by May 23rd.

Looking at claims by industry, manufacturing continues to dominate the state, regional, and local levels for new and continued claims. Manufacturing continued claims constituted 47.7% of the region, 31.7% for Allen County, and 29.2% statewide for the week ending May 23rd.

“The downward trend of continued unemployment claims and the flattening of initial claims last month is a favorable indicator of economic conditions as we move into the next stage of the pandemic response,” said Rachel Blakeman, PFW’s CRI director. “As the state’s closure orders continue to lift, I remain optimistic about the general trend of these numbers but the underlying conditions – namely the ongoing coronavirus infections and concerns about the economy’s overall stability – continues to leave the job market and job seekers in a vulnerable position.”