Statistical Office: Hungary’s unemployment rate on the rise

Hungary’s three-month rolling average jobless rate was 4.3 percent in December, edging up 0.2 of a percentage point from the previous month, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Thursday.

In absolute terms, there were 200,000 unemployed, 10,000 more than in November and up 59,000 from a year earlier, KSH said.

In annual comparison, the jobless rate grew by 1.2 percentage points.

The rate covers unemployment among people between the ages of 15 and 74.

The unemployment rate increased in all regions except Southern Transdanubia: by the largest amount (1.7 percentage points) in the Northern Great Plain and the Pest region. In the Northern Great Plain, the increase in the rate also caused a high rate value (7.4%).

The unemployment rate in Northern Hungary also increased significantly, by 1.5 percentage points to 5.3%. Unemployment was lowest in Western and Central Transdanubia (1.9 and 2.3%, respectively).