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JOBLESS RATE 3.9% IN DEC

 

Hungary’s jobless rate was 3.9% in December, up from 3.8% in the previous month, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Friday. The rate covers unemployment among people between the ages of 15 and 74.
In absolute terms, there were 189,600 unemployed, 3,100 more than a month earlier and 10,700 more than at the end of 2021. The employment rate in Hungary in December was 74.4%, 1.3 percentage points higher than a year ago, the KSH said. The number of employed aged 15-74 in December came to 4,704,000, up 17,000 from the previous year. In the full year of 2022, the number of employed increased by 61,000 to 4.696 million.
Commenting on the data, the economy development ministry said the jobless rate had been improving for 7 consecutive months, with the number of jobholders hitting a “record” in December. Youth unemployment fell especially steeply, from 13.5% to 10.6%, they said. Labour market tendencies have vindicated government measures targeted to preserve full employment and to protect families, the statement said. Crisis resistance and competitiveness will have to be boosted further in 2023 to avoid a recession and preserve full employment, the ministry said. The government is launching a 700 billion forint credit line to fund companies amid “impossibly” high interest rates, the statement added.