MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Unemployment eases in Brazil.

Unemployment in Brazil's main six metropolitan regions dropped in September to 10,9% the lowest so far in 2004, according to the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.

The half point drop compared to the 11,4% of last August, and two less than the 12,9% of September 2003 seems to indicate employment is beginning to recover following the strong showing of the Brazilian economy since the second quarter.

IBGE also indicated that the income of workers with a job increased last September and is equivalent to 318,55 US dollars, which represents a 3,2% advance over a year ago and 1,7% compared to last August.

The number of employed in the metropolitan regions considered, Sao Paulo, Rio do Janerio, Belo Horizonte, Salvador de Bahia, Recife and Porto Alegre totalled last September 19,4 million which represents a 3,6% increase over a year ago and 1% compared to August.