S'pore expects unemployment to fall

S'pore expects unemployment to fall

SINGAPORE: Singapore's labor market is improving in tandem
with the economic rebound and the unemployment rate should fall
further later this year from 4.5 percent in the June quarter, the
manpower ministry said on Wednesday.

A ministry statement released during parliamentary debate
noted that the overall unemployment rate remained at 4.5 percent
for the third consecutive quarter in the three months ending
June, despite the entry of new graduates into the labor force.

"Thus, the overall picture is of an improving labor market and
unemployment is expected to fall further toward the end of the
year," it said without quantifying the projected fall.

The current jobless rate is significantly lower than the 5.5
percent at end-September 2003 when the Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) crisis hit the economy. -- AFP