Portugal kept its unemployment rate at 6.9% in March from February, the 10th highest of 34 OECD members and above the minimum level since 2001 of 5%, recorded in January 2001.

In a press release published today, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) points out that the monthly unemployment rate remained unchanged in March in 15 countries of the organization (including Portugal), fell in 14 and increased in five.

The rate was at or near historic lows in just eight countries, including Canada, France, Germany and the United States, and the number of unemployed fell slightly to 33.1 million, remaining close to its highest point. lowest since July 2022, according to the OECD.

In March 2023, the OECD youth unemployment rate (workers aged 15-24) fell to 10.5%, the lowest level since 2005, already reached in July 2022.

The largest falls in the unemployment rate of young workers were observed in Austria, Denmark, Greece, Latvia and Sweden.

The unemployment rate for women and men remained broadly stable, at 5.0% and 4.6%, respectively, as did the rate for workers aged 25 and over,

In the euro area, the unemployment rate fell slightly, reaching a new all-time low of 6.5% in March 2023.

The unemployment rate remained stable or fell in all euro area countries except Belgium and Estonia, with the largest falls observed in Austria and Greece.

However, unemployment rates remain well above their lowest levels in Greece, Luxembourg and Spain.

Outside Europe, Colombia and the United States recorded a drop in the unemployment rate, while the other non-European OECD countries recorded a broadly stable situation.

In contrast, Japan and Korea saw rising unemployment rates, but from a relatively low level.

More recent data shows that the unemployment rate in Canada remained stable at 5.0% in April 2023, unchanged from December 2022, and fell to an all-time low of 3.4% in the United States.

MC // MSF

By Impala News / Lusa

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