TREASURY Minister Anne Craine MHK has welcomed the news unemployment has fallen for an eighth successive month.

Registered unemployment reduced to 748 in September - down 23 over the month.

The unemployment rate is now 1.7 per cent.

Mrs Craine said: "The latest figures reflect the ongoing strength in the economy and indeed across most sectors.

"Only in retailing did there appear to be any job losses.

"Particularly pleasing is the success in reducing long term unemployment. At the end of September there were 104 people who had been on the unemployment register for more than a year, 27 fewer than just three months earlier."

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