Unemployment at 7.8% for July-September trimester

SANTIAGO.- The National Statistics Institute (INE) announced today that unemployment was reportedly at 7.8% during the July-September trimester.

The figure is lower than market predictions, which had forecasted a rate of 8.2%.

The rate is higher than the 7.7% registered during the same trimester last year, although it did drop 0.4% in comparison to the previous June-August trimester, when unemployment reached 8.2%.

Meanwhile, the labor force reported the same variation as employment over the last 12 months (3.7%). The amount of unemployed workers rose 7.8%, while the amount of those looking for work for the first time dropped 14.7%.

The most significant increases in the labor force and employment were observed amongst women (6.1% and 5.5% respectively), who continue to boost global figures.

In addition to the sizeable 12-month increase in employment of Non Compensated Relatives (6.5%), there was also an increase among those who receive salaries (5.3%) and Self-Employed Workers (1.3%). It should also be noted that 65% of the annual employment increase was concentrated within Construction, Financial Services and Transportation.