INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Unemployment in Chile has continued its upward trend, reaching 8.5% in the mobile quarter of March-May 2023, compared to 7.8% in the same
period last year, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).This marks the seventh consecutive annual increase in unemployment
after a period of continuous decreases since March-May 2021.The rise in the labor force (2.8%) outpaced the increase in employed individuals
(2%), resulting in a 0.7 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate.Unemployed individuals saw a significant expansion of 12.3%,
influenced by those previously unemployed (15%).Unemployment in Chile rises to 8.5% in March-May, marking seventh consecutive increase
(Photo Internet reproduction)The participation and employment rates continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, with rates of 60.9% and
55.7% respectively.The population outside the labor force decreased by 1.9%.For women in Chile, the unemployment rate was 9.1%, representing
and 1% increase over the year.Among men, the unemployment rate was 8.1%, up by 0.8%, while participation and employment rates were 71% and
began to slow down in the second half of 2022, achieving a 2.4% growth last year compared to the previous year.Chile also faced high
inflation in 2022, recording a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, the highest in 30 years.The Central Bank responded to this by raising the
benchmark interest rate to 11.25% in October, the highest level since 2001, and has maintained it at that level since then.
