Rio, November 21, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The average rate of open unemployment remained practically stable, going from 7.5% in September to 7.4% in October. In October, 2001, the rate stood at 6.6%. Corrected for seasonal influences, the index reached 7.7% in October, slightly higher than September's 7.6%.

In comparison with September, there was a small decline (-0.2%) in the economically active population (job market participants). The number of people with jobs remained stable, and the number of people looking for work fell slightly (-2.3%).

These figures appear in the IBGE's Monthly Employment Survey, conducted in the metropolitan regions of Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Porto Alegre. (DAS)