By Ed Frankl
Spanish unemployment crept up in the first quarter, as services jobs, especially related to the tourism industry, declined in the winter months.
The jobless rate rose to 12.29% from 11.80% in the fourth quarter of last year, data from national statistics agency INE showed Friday.
Employment typically falls in the first quarter in Spain, with fewer jobs related to the tourism sector that is key to the country's economy.
The numbers of employed fell in all of services, industry, agriculture and construction, INE said. Services especially had 56,100 fewer workers, although that could ramp up again as the tourism season begins again.
On year, employment rose by more than 600,000, including more than 500,000 in the services sector, INE said. Unemployment is down from 13.38% at the same point of 2023.
Write to Ed Frankl at edward.frankl@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-26-24 0319ET
