The number of people starting new jobs fell to its lowest level in five years as vacancies continued to decline, according to BBC, citing new Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures. The ONS said the labour market remained “broadly stable” but showed signs of weakening, with director of economic statistics Liz McKeown saying the further drop in vacancies suggested firms were becoming more cautious about hiring.
The unemployment rate edged down to 4.9% in the three months to April from 5% in the three months to March. Regular pay excluding bonuses rose 3.4% year-on-year in the three months to April, unchanged from the prior period, meaning earnings were rising slightly faster than prices; McKeown said private-sector regular wage growth was at its lowest rate in five and a half years. The data comes ahead of the Bank of England’s interest-rate decision later on Thursday, with analysts broadly expecting the key rate to be held at 3.75%.
UK unemployment rate dips to 4.9% as job starts hit five-year low, ONS says
2026-06-22 06:03:28
Disclaimer:
1. The information provided does not constitute investment advice. Investors should make independent decisions and bear all risks themselves.
2. The copyright of this content belongs to the original author. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the stance or position of this website.
