MADRID (AFX) - Unemployment fell to 13.43 pct in the first quarter from 13.61 in the fourth, and was down from 15.01 pct a year earlier, according to the National Statistics Institute's survey of the active population.
INE said the number of jobless fell by 34,400 or 1.49 pct to 2.26 mln people in the first quarter from the fourth and declined by 242,700 or 9.67 pct from a year earlier.
INE said the number of employed rose by 5,000 or 0.03 pct in the first quarter from the fourth, climbing 402,800, or 2.83 pct from a year earlier.
The active population fell by 29,300 or 0.17 pct to 16.88 mln people quarter-on-quarter, but rose by 160,200 or 0.96 pct year-on-year.
In the services sector, the number of jobless fell by 30,000 or 3.35 pct in the first quarter from a year earlier, while in construction the number rose by 17,700 or 9.49 pct.