Unemployment down

The number of registered unemployed was 7,321 in May, down by 159 from the previous month, according to the National Statistics Office. The figure was also 102 lower than that of May last year.

The NSO said that in January of this year, the unemployment rate among young males stood at 9.4 per cent while that of young females stood at 5.9 per cent, an average of 7.9 per cent. Among older workers, the rate was 3.7 per cent - four per cent male and 2.5 per cent female.

In January, the long-term unemployment rate stood at 2.1 per cent.

The NSO said the Employment and Training Corporation's administrative records indicated that, in line with last year, the occupations most sought after by the registered unemployed in May were elementary, clerical and service and sales occupations.

Unemployed men and women tend to differ in the occupations they seek, with men going more for elementary occupations and women for clerical and service and sales jobs, the NSO said.