Switzerland's unemployment fell to its lowest level in over 4-1/2 years last month, data showed on Thursday, reflecting the healthy state of the Swiss economy and the leeway for higher interest rates.
When adjusted for seasonal factors, the unemployment rate in May slipped to 2.8 percent from 2.9 percent in April, reaching the lowest rate since September 2002, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said.
The unadjusted rate fell to 2.7 percent, also the lowest since September 2002 and below economists' expectations of 2.8 percent. The number of registered unemployed fell to 106,200, the number of vacancies was also lower than in April at 13,339.
The employment report for the first quarter recently indicated that the economy - which picked up speed in the first three months of 2007 - was likely to add more jobs, with the employment outlook index hitting a record high.