2017.02.2322:54:00UTC+00Taiwan Jobless Rate Rises Unexpectedly In January

Taiwan's unemployment rate increased unexpectedly at the start of the year, though slightly, the Directorate General of Budget Accounting and Statistics, or DGBAS, showed Friday.

The seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose to 3.84 percent in January from 3.83 percent in December. Economists had expected the rate to drop to 3.80 percent.

The number of unemployed people climbed to 452,000 in December from 450,000 in the previous month. A year ago, the jobless figure totaled 460,000.

The labor force participation rate came in at 58.78 percent in January, up from 58.76 percent in the prior month.

On an unadjusted basis, the unemployment rate edged down to 3.78 percent in January from 3.79 percent a month ago.