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Swedish unemployment stabilizes at 8.3 percent

Published: 26 May 09 10:27 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/19670/20090526/

Sweden's unemployment rate stabilized at 8.3 percent in April after five consecutive months of climbing figures, according to a new report from Statistics Sweden (SCB) published on Tuesday.

Around 403,000 people were out of work in April, up 110,000 on April 2008 when the unemployment rate was 6.0 percent, SCB said in a statement.

March figures showed that 404,000 were unemployed in Sweden.

In April, 4.46 million Swedes held down a job, a drop of 116,000 from the same period last year.

Statistics Sweden attributed the fall in the numbers of people employed to two main areas: the manufacturing and mining sectors as well as business and financial services.

"Within these industries the number of persons employed decreased by 47,000 and 41,000 respectively," the statement said.

Sweden's economy officially entered a recession in the third quarter of 2008 and the government forecasts the country's economy will shrink by 4.2 percent this year.

Unemployment in the Scandinavian state is expected to reach 8.9 percent this year and swell further to 11.1 percent in 2010 and 11.7 percent in 2011, according to forecasts by the Swedish finance ministry.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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12:05 May 26, 2009 by zeero
These numbers are a bit off and most likely do not represent the real numbers of the unemployment in Sweden...
16:27 May 26, 2009 by Dazzler
I was wondering about that number myself. Seems lowballed to me.
17:57 May 26, 2009 by bocale1
Having a government that trusts completely in the market forces and their capability of self regulation, that does not see the need to support the national economy if not very marginally, will not help Swedish people. I have the feeling that we will be impacted by the crisis much more violently than most of the other European countries. See the case of Volvo where, in order to support occupational level, Belgium is going to provide his support when, at the same time, Sweden has decided to not interfere, even if that may mean other hundreds of people lied off
06:29 May 27, 2009 by Omidn
I agree with you zeero, the number of unemployed people is much higher than this report. keep in mind that these individuals are on unemployment benefits and there are so many other unemployed people that they don't have even benefits and have not been reported to arbetsförmedlingen.
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