Brazil's jobless rate rose in August to its highest in six months despite stronger job creation, adding to signs that the economic recession is eroding a robust labor market. The non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate stood at 5.0 percent in August, up from 4.9% in July, statistics agency IBGE announced.
It was the first release of official unemployment numbers after a strike disrupted the job market survey for months. August jobless rate topped the median forecast of 4.9% in a poll of 11 economists. In August 2013, Brazil's jobless rate stood at 5.3%.
Brazil's economy slipped into recession in the first half of the year, prompting many companies from manufacturers to retailers to trim payrolls. Job creation recovered slightly in August from July, but remained well below the average of the past decade, according to government data.
The state of Brazil's job market is an important issue in the ongoing presidential election campaign. President Dilma Rousseff, who is running for re-election, has boasted that unemployment remains one of the world's smallest in Brazil. Her opponents have said Rousseff's policies will ultimately lead to an increase in joblessness.
The so-called economically active population, or the number of people either employed or actively seeking work, rose 0.9% from July, outpacing job creation.
The number of Brazilians with jobs rose 0.8% from July to 23.1 million. It remained unchanged from August last year. The number of people who failed to find a job stayed unchanged July and from August 2013, at 1.2 million.
The unemployment rate as calculated by the IBGE tallies jobs in the formal sector, where employees are legally registered, as well as off-the-books jobs in the informal sector in Brazil's six major urban areas.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesGreat news. Brazil created 101 000 job openings in August/2014.
Sep 27th, 2014 - 10:39 am 0The negativity of Mercopress turns the news into something bad...
@1..all crap.
Sep 27th, 2014 - 09:23 pm 0Brazzo, since you are such a genius, and vouch for all the government's figures on the unemployment rate, which they claim to be only 5%, TELL ME WHY the 30 million Brazilians (15 million families) who are receiving government handouts - the 'bolsa familia' - are not counted amongst the 'unemployed' ???.....they are obviously of working age, otherwise they would be retired, and receiving their pensions ...but yet they do not work, haven't the slightest intention of looking for a job, and are content to live off the work of those that DO contribute to the system..... so, 10,000,000 officially unemployed, plus 30,000,000 on handouts, comes to 40,000,000, or 20 % of the entire population of 200 million ; Now, if from the 200 million, you subtract the people that are too young to join the work force, and also those that have already retired, I don't know exactly, but I'd say you come to about 150 million....so true unemployment is over 25%.
This time, don't run away, ANSWER MY QUESTION !!! (responda a minha pergunta, se for capaz !)
You must learn to respect others before asking questions.
Sep 27th, 2014 - 10:15 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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