02:49 PM EDT, 05/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- State-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the unemployment rate rose in three states and the District of Columbia in April, fell in two states, and held steady elsewhere.

The largest unemployment rate increases were in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, both rising by 0.2 percentage points. South Dakota recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 1.8%, while the District of Columbia had the highest at 5.8%.

The national unemployment rate was reported at 4.2% in April, the same as in March.

Nonfarm payrolls rose in five states and were little changed elsewhere. Nationwide nonfarm payrolls increased by 177,000 in April after a 185,000 gain in March.

The largest payrolls gain in absolute terms was in Texas, which added 37,700 jobs, followed by Ohio with 22,200.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 5.1% drop in mortgage applications in the week ended May 16 after a 1.1% increase in the previous week. Both refinancing activity and new home applications declined due to a jump in mortgage rates to a three-month high.

Total crude oil inventories rose by 2.2 million barrels in the week ended May 16, with commercial oil inventories up 1.3 million barrels and stocks in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve up 800,000 barrels. Gasoline inventories and distillate inventories both increased last week.