Priscilla Mazenotti
Reporter - Agencia Brasil

Brasilia – During the first two months of this year, a total of 263,248 jobs were created in Brazil. This is the highest number registered since the Ministry of Labor started publishing the General Registry of Employment and Unemployment (CAGED), in 1992. The second highest number occurred in 2004, when 239,180 jobs were generated.

In addition to this good bimestrial result, the Ministry celebrated the record number of formal jobs created in February (176,632), in comparison with the same month of other years. This index is 0.68% superior to that of January. Data was released this Tuesday (21), by the Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho.

The Minister evaluated that the February increase in the number of jobs was due to industrial recovery, commerce expansion, and seasonal factors, such as agriculture. "We cannot say this is a tendency, but it certainly indicates that 2006 will be a very positive year in an economic viewpoint. Specially regarding job creation," said Marinho.

Translation: Andréa Alves