São Paulo, June 28, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - For the first time this year, the unemployment rate declined in the São Paulo metropolitan area: It was down 4.8% in May, in comparison with April. This is the biggest drop registered for this period since 1986, when there was a 6% reduction.

The data appear in a study by the State System of Data Analysis Foundation (Seade) and the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies (Dieese). They reveal that the total of people who are unemployed fell from 2.044 million to 1.960 million, which corresponds to 19.7% of the Economically Active Population (PEA).

The survey also shows that 157 thousand jobs were created, the largest share of them in industry, which hired 54 thousand people. The service sector added 51 thousand jobs, and there were 42 new openings in the commercial sector. The increase in other areas amounted to 10 thousand jobs, mostly in construction.

Translator: David Silberstein