S’pore unemployment inches up in Q1, but remains low

Unemployment remained low, despite rising slightly in the first quarter of 2014, a report released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Research and Statistics Department showed.

Meanwhile, layoffs declined, after rising in the preceding quarter.

Preliminary estimates showed that the seasonally adjusted overall unemployment rate rose to 2.1 per cent in March from 1.8 per cent in December 2013.

Despite the increase, the unemployment rates remained low, MOM said.

Total employment grew by 24,900 in the first quarter of 2014, lower than the seasonally high increase of 40,600 in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The increase was also lower than 28,900 in the first quarter of 2013.

There were 3,518,700 persons in employment in March, 3.9 per cent higher than a year ago.

The rate of increase over the year was lower than 4.1 per cent in December 2013.

Some 2,900 workers were laid off in the first quarter of 2014 -- lower than the 3,660 workers affected in the preceding quarter, but higher than the 2,120 laid off in the first quarter of 2013. 

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