"I wonder whether the strength in the labor market is as robust as the evidence suggests"
- Peter Dixon, an economist at Commerzbank AG
The number of filed unemployment benefit claims in the U.K. declined the most in more than two years in August and employment rose, as businesses created more jobs. Jobless benefit claims fell by 15,000 to 1.57 million, the Office for National Statistics announced on Wednesday. Employment rose by 236,000 to 29.6 million, posting the biggest gain in two years.
"I wonder whether the strength in the labor market is as robust as the evidence suggests," said Peter Dixon, an economist at Commerzbank AG in London.
"There are very real problems with people who are long-term unemployed," said Business Secretary Vince Cable.
The FTSE 100 Index declined 0.17 per cent to 5,782.08. The broader FTSE All-Share Index slid 0.04 per cent to 3,017.16.
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