Employment Level Hits A Record High; Nov.....>

UK DATA:Employment Level Hits A Record High; Nov Change Defies Analysts    

--Sep-Nov Unemployment Level Down 3,000; Rate Unchanged At 4.3%    

--Sep-Nov Total Earnings +2.5% 3m y/y Unchanged Vs Aug-Oct

--Sep-Nov Ex-Bonus Earnings +2.4% 3m y/y Vs +2.3% 3m y/y in Aug-Oct

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The count of those in work rose by 102k in the 3m to Nov, the 

largest rise since the thre months to July, contrasting greatly to the 

20k drop pencilled in by analysts. This took the employment level to a 

record high 32.2m and the employment rate to a joint-record high 75.3%. 

Nominal total wage growth remained fixed at 2.5% 3m y/y in the 3m to 

Nov, the joint best 2017 result, while the ex-bonus measure ticked up 

0.1pp to 2.4% 3m y/y. Total real wage growth remained in the red for the 

8th straight month. Elsewhere, vacancies rose to a record high while the 

number of those economically inactive fell to the lowest level since the 

3m to Jan 2001 (when Bob the Builder sat at the top of music charts).