MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Record unemployment in Chile.

In spite of the strong recovery of the Chilean economy, unemployment in the quarter June-August 2004 reached 9,9% , 0,5% over the same period a year ago and a 0,2% increase over the previous quarter, according to the latest release from the Chilean Statistics Institute, INE.

The figure is the highest since September 2001 when unemployment reached 10,1%.

The release also indicates that the work force in the last twelve months increased 1,9%, with the employed expanding 1,3% and the unemployed 7,3%. This means that in the June-August Q the Chilean labour force reached 6,135,690 people, with 5,530,230 employed and 605.460 unemployed.

Compared to the previous May-July quarter, the labour force increased 0,6%, the employed 0,4% and unemployed 2,8%.

Further on the release indicates that the most employment dynamic sectors in the last two quarters have been, Mining and quarries; Financial Services; public utilities (electricity, gas and fuel).

Regarding industrial activity, the INE release shows a sustained growth in the last quarter, June-August, which represents a 9% expansion over the previous quarter and 6,5% in the last twelve months.