New 2.4 percent: unemployment rate fell slightly in February

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The number of unemployed people in Switzerland fell slightly in February. This rate is now 2.4 percent, after 2.5 percent in the previous January. Interest rates last fell last May. Then, over the months, it increased from 1.9 percent to 2.5 percent compared to the previous month.

111,879 people were registered as unemployed in regional employment centers (RAV) at the end of February, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) announced on Thursday. This was 1,296 fewer than in January.

Therefore, the rate is at the lower end of expectations. Economists previously polled by the AWP news agency had expected a figure between 2.4 and 2.6 percent.

However, when adjusted for seasonal effects, there was a slight increase in the number of unemployed people. The adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.2 percent.

182,000 job seekers

The unemployment rate is often subject to seasonal fluctuations because there are fewer jobs in construction, agriculture and the food and beverage industry during the winter months. This is hidden by the set number.

Other key figures on the labor market were little changed. In February, Seco counted 182,018 job seekers. This was 235 fewer than the previous month.

The number of vacancies reported to RAV increased by 1,250 to 43,356. According to Seco, 20,376 of those positions were subject to reporting requirements that apply to occupations with an unemployment rate of at least 5 percent.

There is still no significant increase in short-time working jobs. By contrast, in December (data reported with a delay) only 2,587 people were working short-time; This figure was 3,419 fewer than the previous month. (SDA)

Source :Blick