Unemployment falls again to new 42-year low

UK unemployment fell by 3,000 to 1.44 million in the three months to November, official figures show.

The number of those in work increased sharply, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

That leaves the UK's unemployment rate at a four-decade low of 4.3%.

"Demand for workers clearly remained strong," said ONS statistician David Freeman.

The pace of job creation was faster than economists had predicted. The ONS said the number of people in work rose by 102,000 in the three months to November, taking total employment to a record 32.2 million.

Higher consumer price inflation, due to weaker sterling, has left real pay 0.5% lower than a year earlier, but rising wages are beginning to close the gap.

"Today's jobs numbers once again strongly suggest that the UK economy is on a firmer footing than many had anticipated following the EU referendum vote," commented James Athey, senior investment manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments.

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