Women hit hardest as UK jobless rate rises and real wages shrink – business live

Britain’s jobless rate has risen to 4.4%, the first rise since February 2016Latest: Young women bear brunt of unemployment riseReal wages have shrunk for 10 monthsBreaking: UK unemployment rate rises to 4.4% – first rise since 201646,000 people have joined the jobless totalPublic sector strikes hits record low 1.43pm GMT Alongside the unemployment figures, the Office for National Statistics also reported that UK productivity has risen.Output per worker per hour jumped by 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2017. That’s an encouraging sign. The real game changers for productivity will lie in adoption of advanced technologies, infrastructure investment and reskilling of the workforce for the industries of the future. In particular, the UK must capitalise on its strong base of expertise in artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous vehicles.The potential is huge—our research shows AI could provide a £614bn boost to the UK economy by 2035. AI can not only drive greater efficiency, but enhance the productivity of the workforce and spur greater innovation in the economy. The technologies are there and the UK businesses can get a head start in this race.”oh cool they’re literally building them to fight people now https://t.co/lxu74B2Ys7 1.29pm GMT As this charts shows, the female unemployment rate in the UK has risen from 4.1% in the autumn to 4.4% by the end of 2017. Continue reading…
Via: Women hit hardest as UK jobless rate rises and real wages shrink – business live