Unemployment rate edged up for the first time in a year in Q2

It reached 2% in June.

Singapore’s unemployment rate edged up for the first time in the past year in the second quarter, according to statistics from the Ministry of Manpower.

Preliminary estimates showed that the overall seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 2.0% in June from 1.8% in the preceding quarter.

Overall employment grew by 15,700 in the second quarter of 2015, following a contraction in the first quarter. This was supported by increases in construction and services jobs. 

However, overall employment growth in the first half of 2015 has moderated compared to the same period last year, the MoM said. 

There were 3,633,500 employed persons in June, which was 2.4% higher than a year ago compared to 2.7% in March. Layoffs declined for the second consecutive quarter. Some 3,100 workers were laid off, down from 3,500 in the preceding quarter.