The unemployment rate decreased for the third consecutive month. However, last June the reduction was inferior to that experienced in June 2010. June is traditionally a good month for employment figures, because of the high number of tourism-related new contracts.
In total there were 595,342 people registered as unemployed at the end of May in Catalonia. This 1% reduction in relation to the previous month is not good news compared to May 2010, when there were 20,000 fewer people in dole queues. Unemployment decreased throughout Catalonia and in all sectors. In Spain as a whole, there were 4,189,659 people registered as unemployed.
April numbers have broken a three-month continuous trend of unemployment increases. In total there were 601,541 people registered as unemployed at the end of April.
The Catalan Ministry of Economy and Knowledge has released its macroeconomic outlook for 2011. At the end of the current year, the unemployment rate will be 18%, up from 2010.
Unemployment registers in Catalonia increased by 8,658 people in March. One in four jobseekers does not receive any public assistance. In addition, training courses for jobseekers have run out of funding and are waiting for the new budget to be approved by the Catalan Government.
602,611 people were unemployed at the end of February in Catalonia, which is 2.2% more than at the end of January.
The total number of unemployed people in Catalonia is now 589,623. In Spain as a whole, registered unemployment increased by 130,930 people this January. The total number of unemployed people sets a new historical record, with 4.23 million. Traditionally, January is a bad month in terms of unemployment data due to the end of Christmas sales’ hirings.
Prices increased by 7 decimals last December. The monthly price increase was of tobacco and transport.
The price increase is the result of the start of the winter season, in particular regarding clothing and shoe sales.
Catalonia saw its prices rise by 8 decimals in October, contributing to an annual inflation rate of 2.6%. Prices for apparel and footwear rose by 10.4 points in Catalonia, playing a heavy role in the overall increase of prices.
These levels have not been recorded since November 2008. However price raises stabilised in relation to August, particularly because of the price decrease of organised trips.
Prices have risen 0.3% during August compared with July, levelling the annual rate. Tourist industries such as hotels, restaurants, bars and organised trips have contributed to the rise in prices. In July, prices dropped by 0.3% in relation to June.
The Programme for Maternity Health’s birth registry has published data that shows that 30% of newborns in Catalonia have a mother with a foreign nationality. Also, 52% of teen births between 14 and 17 years old were of mothers from a foreign nationality.
The country registers its highest inflation since 2008 and the highest monthly-rise of prices in all Spain, according to the data published by the Institute of Statistics
There has been a drop in mortality in Catalonia despite a growing population. The Minister for Health, Marina Geli, says this might be an effect of speedier emergency services.