U.K. Unemployment Unexpectedly Falls as Growth Resumes
This article is for subscribers only.
U.K. jobless claims rose less than economists forecast in March and a broader measure of unemployment fell for the first time for almost a year, signs that the labor market is stabilizing as the economy recovers.
Jobless-benefit claims rose by 3,600 from February to 1.61 million, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. The median forecast of 29 economists in a Bloomberg News survey was for a gain of 6,000. Unemployment as measured by International Labour Organization methods fell to 8.3 percent in the quarter through February from a 16-year high of 8.4 percent. No change was forecast.