The level of unemployment in the North rose in the third quarter of 2003 compared with the previous three months, according to data released today.
The seasonally adjusted figures from the National Statistics Office showed that unemployment in Northern Ireland was 5.9 per cent at 45,000 during August to October 2003, up 0.6 per cent on the previous quarter.
According to the data some 669,470 people were in employment at September 2003, a net increase of 5,600 jobs over the first 9 months of the year.
The manufacturing sector remains under pressure with 4,690 jobs lost in this sector so far this year. This was partially off-set by an increase of over 10,000 in the number of those employed in the services sector.