ETC puts jobless rate at five per cent

The number of people registering as unemployed was 7,238 in June this year, representing an unemployment rate of five per cent.

The figure went down by 83 from May, but rose by 117 over June 2002.

The Employment and Training Corporation figures, released by the National Statistics Office, indicate an increase in the labour supply both in comparison to the figures of the preceding month and to the figures for June 2002.

The labour supply went up by 339 in comparison to May 2003 and by 239 over June 2002, to reach 144,996 in June.

The full-time gainfully occupied population increased by 422 persons in relation to May 2003 and by 122 compared with June last year, reaching 137,758 persons in June.

The number of self-employed persons increased by 63 over the same month a year ago to 15,536.

This June, employment in the private direct production sector increased by 36 over the preceding month, but dropped by 821 compared to June 2002.

On a year-to-year basis, the construction and manufacturing sectors cut 94 and 804 jobs respectively. Many of the job losses in manufacturing involved women, while the job losses in construction were mainly men's.

In the 12 months to June 2003, the public sector shed 334 persons, most of the decline occurring in companies with public investment.