Weekly Report - 3 August 2004

CHILE | Unemployment still rising. The politically sensitive unemployment rate has inched upwards again in April-June, to 9.6% - 0.2 points above the previous running quarter, and 0.5 points higher than a year earlier. From the point of view of pubic perceptions, it has come dangerously close to the 'psychological threshold' of 10%. Indeed, in Santiago - home to a third of the workforce - it has just overshot that mark, reaching 10.1% (1.1 points up on last year). Also above that crucial level are the rates of Valparaí­so (11.9%), Atacama (11.4%) and Coquimbo (10.7%).