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KSH: Hungary's jobless rate stood at 4.2% in August

In absolute terms, there were 209,900 unemployed in August, 500 more than in July and 14,500 more than twelve months earlier.

The Central Statistics Office (KSH) has revealed that Hungary's jobless rate stood at 4.2pc in August, level with the rate in July but up from 4.0pc twelve months earlier.

KSH said the rate covers unemployment among people between the ages of 15 and 74.

In absolute terms, there were 209,900 unemployed in August, 500 more than in July and 14,500 more than twelve months earlier.

The rolling three-month average jobless rate stood at 4.3pc in August, edging up from 4.2pc in July and up from 4.1pc twelve months earlier.

The monthly jobless rate for the 15- to 64-year-old age group stood at 4.2pc in August, unchanged from July but up from 4.0pc a year earlier.

KSH uses the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition of jobless which includes people who are without work, people who carried out activities to seek employment in the previous four weeks, and people who did not look for work but made arrangements for a future job start within two weeks.

KSH noted that data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ) show there were 225,000 registered jobseekers at the end of August, down 1.7pc from twelve months earlier.

The employment rate for the 15-74 age group was 65.2pc in August, inching down from 65.4pc in July but up from 64.4pc twelve months earlier. In absolute terms, there were 4,747,900 people employed in August, 17,100 fewer than in July but 39,000 more than twelve months earlier.

The number of economically active people in the age group stood at 4,957,900, giving Hungary an activity rate of 68.1pc, up from 67.1pc twelve months earlier.

Sandor Czomba, the state secretary for employment policy, said the fresh data showed programmes to boost labour market participation were working, in a statement issued by the National Economy Ministry.

More and more people who were earlier economically inactive are quickly being matched with jobs thanks to targeted measures and subsidy schemes, he added.

He said the government aimed to boost the employment rate among 20- to 64-year-olds from 81pc to 85pc by mobilising the close to 300,000-person "labour market reserve", he said.