HOW WILL UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRESS?
JONATHAN LOYNES CAPITAL ECONOMICS
Surveys of employment intentions suggest that the rate of job-cutting is now easing. We expect the pace of increase in this measure to slow further from here. But it could be years before unemployment is falling. even more sharply.
HOWARD ARCHER IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT
Unemployment still looks likely to reach 3m in 2010. Despite signs that the economy will return to growth in the third quarter, unemployment is a lagging indicator and the sharp economic contraction suffered will continue to weigh down on the labour market for an extended period.
JEREMY BATSTONE-CARR CHARLES STANLEY
I can’t see any end to it. Sadly it is an inevitable function of the times that companies can only match their profit expectations by shedding labour. I think we’re going to see a double dip, and when the government’s stimulus package wears off we’ll be right back in trouble.