DATA SNAP: Polish Feb Unemployment Rate 10.9% Vs Jan 10.5%

    By David McQuaid    Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WARSAW (Dow Jones)--Poland's unemployment rate rose to 10.9% in February from 10.5% in January, according to preliminary labor ministry estimates issued Wednesday.

According to the ministry, 1.72 million people were jobless in February. That's a monthly increase of 84,700, barely half of January's 160,600 jump.

The reading was in line with analysts' expectations of a 10.8%-10.9% February jobless rate.

The Central Statistical Office, or GUS, is due to issue official February unemployment data at the end of March.

However, GUS's headline figure rarely differs more than one-tenth of a percentage point from the labor ministry's preliminary estimate.

Labor ministry Web site: www.mps.gov.pl

-By David McQuaid, Dow Jones Newswires; 48-22 528-6776; [email protected]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 11, 2009 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)

Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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