24.04.201805:57:00UTC+00Sweden Jobless Rate Rises Less Than Expected In March

Sweden's unemployment rate increased less than expected in March after falling in the previous month, figures from Statistics Sweden showed Tuesday.

The jobless rate rose to 6.5 percent in March fro 6.3 percent in February. Economists had expected the rate to climb to 6.6 percent.

In the corresponding month last year, the unemployment rate was 6.8 percent.

The number of unemployed people increased to 352,000 in March from 337,000 in the previous month.

At the same time, the employment rate remained unchanged at 67.7 percent.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the jobless rate came in at 6.2 percent in March, up from 5.9 percent in the preceding month.