Georgia saw a significant decrease in initial filings for unemployment benefits last week, a positive sign for the state’s labor market, even as national claims edged slightly higher, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

New jobless claims in Georgia, a key indicator of layoffs, fell to 4,646 in the week ending July 26. This marked a substantial decline from the 6,780 claims filed the week prior, representing a drop of 2,134 filings. The data suggests a slowing pace of job separations within the Peach State.

Nationally, however, initial unemployment claims saw a marginal increase. U.S. claims rose by 1,000 to 218,000 last week, up from a revised 217,000 the week before, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Among individual states, the picture was varied, with some experiencing dramatic shifts. Vermont registered the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with filings jumping by a significant 110.0%. In stark contrast, Kentucky saw the most substantial percentage drop in new claims, which plummeted by 78.8% during the same period.