Unemployment slightly up
Adjusted for seasonal variation, 514 thousand people in the Netherlands were unemployed in August, i.e. 4 thousand more than in July. In August, 6.5 percent of the Dutch labour force were unemployed, the highest unemployment rate since the summer of 2005.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment
The unemployment rate for men was the same as for women in August. This is rare, because the rate for woman tends to be higher than for men.
The proportion of young unemployed was higher in August 2012 than in August 2011. The unemployment rate among 15 to 24-year-olds stood at 12.9 percent in August 2012, i.e. 3.1 percentage points up from August 2011.
Consumers’ expectations about unemployment over the next 12 months
Unemployment has risen almost continuously for well over a year now. Results from the Consumer confidence survey show that Dutch consumers have been more pessimistic about unemployment over the next 12 months since March 2011. In September, 71 percent anticipated unemployment to rise over the next 12 months, whereas only 7 percent anticipated a reduction. The balance of positive and negative answers was -64.
More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.
For more information on economic indicators, the reader is referred to the Economic Monitor.