In October 2009, IBGE’s Monthly Employment Survey (PME) estimated unemployment rate¹ as 7.%, for the group of six metropolitan areas (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife and Porto Alegre). There were no statistically significant changes in relation to the September rate (7.7%), or to the October figure (7.5%).

The number of unemployed persons²  (1.8 million) in the six metropolitan areas remained stable, both in relation to September 2009 and in relation to October 2008. By area, in relation to September, there was stability and, in relation to October 2008, there was decrease (-21.8%) in Rio de Janeiro and increase (10.4%) in São Paulo.

  

The unemployment rate (7.5%) did not have a statistically significant variation in relation to either last September (7.7%) or October of last year (7.5%). The unemployed population (1.8 million) did not change in either of the compared periods, but two metropolitan areas showed expressive variations in relation to October 2008: Rio de Janeiro (-21.8%) and São Paulo (+10.4%).

The employed population (21.5 million) remained stable in the monthly and yearly comparisons, as well as the number of workers with a formal contract (9.5 million). The average real income usually earned by workers (R$ 1,349.70) was stable in the month and had a rise of 3.2% in comparison to October of last year.

The volume of real income usually earned by workers had a rise of 0.4% in the month and 2.9% in the year. The average real household income per capita had a rise of 0.8% in the month and 3.6% in the year.

Among the seven groups of industrial activity analyzed by IBGE’s Monthly Employment Survey (table below), in the monthly comparison, three had increases and four other presented decreases, being the biggest one that of Construction (-6.5%). Compared to October last year, the income of Other Services faced decrease (-1.1%), and the biggest increase occurred in Trade (6.5%).

AVERAGE REAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER CAPITA⁴

PME estimated, in October 2009 and for the group of six metropolitan areas, average real household income per capita of R$ 885.54. There was increase both in relation to last September (0.8%) and to October 2008 (3.6%).

EMPLOYED PERSONS (PO)

The number of persons employed (21.5 million) in the group of six metropolitan areas investigated remained stable in both comparisons. By area, there was stability in the monthly comparison, but in relation to October 2008, there was increase (4.6%) of employed population in Salvador. 

AVERAGE REAL INCOME³

In October 2009, the estimated average real household income to be received in the group of six metropolitan areas surveyed was R$ 1,349.70. There was stability in relation to September, and increase (3.2%) compared to October 2008. 

The table below shows the real income usually earned by workers, by categories of position in the occupation. Workers with a formal contract in the private sector were the only category to present decrease (- 0.4%, in relation to September 2009) in this indicator, and workers without a formal contract had the biggest increase (7.2% in relation to October 2008).  

REAL AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF THE EMPLOYED POPULATION⁵

The real average household income of the population employed in the group of six metropolitan areas for September 2009 (R$ 29.2 billion), increased in relation to September (0.4%) and October 2008 (2.9%).

NON-EVONOMICALLY-ACTIVE PERSONS (PNEA)

The non-economically active population (17.8 million) in the group of six metropolitan areas investigated by PME did not change in relation to September, but increased 4.2% in relation to October last year.

By area, there was no change in the monthly comparison. In relation to October 2008, there were increases in Rio de Janeiro (5.6%), São Paulo (5.1%) and Porto Alegre (3.2%).

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¹ Percentage of unemployed persons in relation to the Economically-Active Population.

² Persons who were not working and had taken some action to find a job in the period of reference of the survey.

³ Income usually earned. For the calculation of real income, the deflator used is the Consumer price Index - INPC of the respective metropolitan area. For calculating the income of the group of six metropolitan areas encompassed by the survey, the deflator is the weighting average of six price indicators. The weighting variable is the urban population of metropolitan areas.

⁴ Division of the real average household income from work by the number of members of the household, except pension-receivers, domestic workers or relatives of the latter.

⁵ Sum of the real income from work, received from all activities performed in the month of reference of the survey (month before the month of release).