The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic stood at 8.9% of workforce in March 2012, retreating back from a one-year high of 9.2% in February, the labour ministry said. Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires were expecting the jobless rate to fall to 9% in March. The jobless rate also stood 9.2% in March 2011. Unemployment among women edged down to 10% from 10.2% a month earlier, and among men it fell to 8.1% from 8.5%. Job vacancies increased for the second month running by 3,235 m/m and 5,975 y/y to 39,906 in March. The number of jobseekers registered at the employment offices decreased by 16,505 on the month and by 22,582 from a year ago to 525,180 people last month. Thus, there were 14.8 jobseekers per vacancy, compared to 15.5 a month ago. IntelliNews comment : The unemployment rate is expected to slightly fall in the next few months with the start of the seasonal work but a more significant improvement on the labour market will depend on the degree to which the economy will recover. |
Social Democrats (CDDS), the major Czech opposition party, proposed next year's general and European elections to be held on the same day, CTK news agency reported. CSSD leader Bohuslav Sobotka ... more
The Czech unit of UK retailer Tesco faces a fine of up to CZK 3mn (EUR 116,000) for selling beef lasagne containing undeclared horsemeat, Radio Prague reported. The state-run Agricultural and Food ... more
The upper house of the Czech parliament, the Senate, voted on March 20 a constitutional amendment to limit the immunity of lawmakers and constitutional judges, Radio Prague reported. Out of the ... more