Rio de Janeiro, 26 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Although seasonal factors caused the open unemployment rate to rise over one percentage point between December and January (going from 5.6% to 6.8%), with seasonal adjustments the rate fell in Brazil's six main metropolitan regions ,according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 0.3 percentage points (going from 7% to 6.7%).

The number of unoccupied persons rose 23.2% between December 2001 and January 2002; and 22.4% compared to January of 2001.

The average number of weeks needed to find work in January this year was 21.5; in December it was 24.0; and in January 2001, 17.4. (AB)