UNEMPLOYMENT: OECD RATE RISES TO 7.2% IN APRIL.

• Position: Brief Article

The standardised unemployment rate for the OECD area rose to 7.2% in September 2003, 0.1 percentage point higher than the previous month and 0.2 percentage point higher than a year earlier.

In the Euro area, the standardised unemployment rate remained at 8.8% in September 2003, 0.3 percentage point higher than a year earlier. For the United States, the standardised unemployment rate remained at 6.1% in September 2003, 0.4 percentage point higher than a year earlier. For Japan, the standardised unemployment rate remained at 5.1% in September 2003, 0.3 percentage point lower than a year earlier.

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