CNP estimates unemployment rate to climb to 7.6 pct in 2009

The unemployment rate is to climb in 2009 to 7.6 percent from 4.4 percent in 2008 and the number of jobless is to reach 685,000 compared to 403,400 last year, according to the autumn preliminary projection released by the National Prognosis Commission (CNP).

The unemployment rate calculated according to the International Labor Bureau (BIM) is estimated at 8.4 percent from 5.8 percent in 2008, and the number of BIM unemployed (computed based on AMIGO statistics) is to amount at 840,000 compared to 575,000 in 2008.

The average number of employees in 2009 stood at 4.73 million, down by 6.3 percent from 2008 (5.046 million) and the net average wage in 2009 stood at 1,350 lei, up 3.1 percent from last year.

According to CNP, the unemployment rate is to drop by 1.4 percentage points in 2010, to 6.2 percent and the number of the unemployed will be cut to 550,000.

August unemployment rate accounted for 6.6 percent compared to 6.3 percent in July 2009 and 3.8 percent in the similar month of 2008.

According to the National employment agency - ANOFM, the total number of unemployed registered with the county employment agencies stood at 601,673, of whom 265,945 women

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