28.07.201708:09:00UTC+00Brazil Jobless Rate Eases Sharply In Q2

Brazil unemployment rate fell sharply in the three months to the June from the previous quarter and dropped more than economists expected, preliminary data from the statistical office IBGE showed Friday.

The unemployment rate declined to 13 percent from 13.7 percent in the first quarter. Economists had forecast 13.5 percent jobless rate.

The latest fall was the first statistically significant decline in the unemployment rate since the October-December quarter of 2014, the IBGE said.

A year ago, the figure was 11.3 percent.

In the three months to May, the jobless rate was 13.3 percent.