"Due to the restrained economic dynamic the labour market is likely to be weakened in the coming quarters."
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
The unemployment rate in Switzerland remained almost unchanged in the ninth month of the year, the most recent official statistics revealed yesterday. Measured on a monthly basis, the jobless rate held steady at 3.2% and, thus, remained equal to the 3.2% recorded in the preceding month and was in line with analysts' forecasts. In the same month a year ago, however, the rate was 3%. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate stepped up to 3.4% on month in September from 3.3% booked in August. This figure was also in line with economists' expectations of 3.4%.
According to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been experiencing an upward trend since spring 2015 and this tendency is believed to continue into the upcoming year. The youth jobless rate, that concerns people aged between 15 and 24 years, rose to 3.7% from 3.6%. The figure accounted for 3.5% last year. The biggest increase of unemployment was witnessed in the 25-49 age group, where the number of jobless workers rose by 900 persons, whereas the number of unemployed above the age of 50 stepped up by additional 300 persons.
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