California unemployment rate ticks downward to 5.3 percent

LOS ANGELES (AP) - California’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.3 percent in April, down from 5.4 percent in March and 6.5 percent a year earlier.

The state Employment Development Department also said Friday that nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 59,600 to a total of more than 16.3 million during the April.

The U.S. unemployment rate in April remained unchanged at 5 percent.