The estimated unemployment rate of February was 6.4%, a stable figure in comparison with the one recorded last month (6.1%).

The following table shows income by group of activity:

The table below shows per capita household income:

The analysis of occupation, by group of activity, showed stability in all of them  January to February, except Construction, which recorded rise of 4.1%. In the annual comparison, there was increase of the number of Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial intermediation (5.5%) and Other services (5.0%). There was decrease of the number of workers of Domestic services (-6.6%).

The table below shows the average income earned by the employed population in the months of February, in the metropolitan areas.

The estimated unemployment rate of February was 6.4%, a stable figure in comparison with the one recorded last month (6.1%). In relation to February 2010 (7.4%), the index was down by 1.0 percentage points. Unemployed population (1.5 million persons) recorded hike of 6.0% compared to the result in the previous month (which means more 85 thousand searching for a job). Employment decreased by 12.4% (a total 214 thousand persons) when compared to the February index. The employed population remained stable when compared to that in January. Versus February 2010 there was increase of 2.4% in this estimate, meaning increment of 515 thousand persons employed. The number of workers with a formal employment contract in the private sector (10.7 million) increased by 1.8% in the monthly analysis of February. Considering the annual comparison, there was hike of 6.9%, representing a total 687 thousand job posts with a formal contract.

The average real income of workers (R$ 1,540.30) faced decrease (-0.5%) in the monthly comparison and hike of 3.7% compared to the result of February last year. The volume of average real income usually earned (R$ 34.6 billion) faced decrease in relation to the one in January (-0.5%) and recorded increase in relation to that of February last year (6.4%). The volume of average real income actually earned by the employed persons (R$ 34.4 billion) estimated in January 2011 fell by 20.3% in the month and increased 6.7% in the year.

The complete publication can be seen on www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/trabalhoerendimento/pme_nova/

By area, in the monthly comparison, unemployment rate changed significantly in Belo Horizonte (from 5.3% to 6.3%). Compared to February 2010 there was fall in São Paulo São Paulo (1.5 percentage points) and stability in the other areas.

The table below shows income by employment type: