Investing.com - The jobless rate in the U.K. was unchanged as expected in August, with wages excluding bonuses showing a stronger reading than forecast, while the claimant count less more than expected in September, official data showed on Wednesday.
The Office for National Statistics said that the rate of unemployment remained at 4.9% in the three months to August, in line with forecasts.
The claimant count rose by a seasonally adjusted 700 in September, compared to expectations for a increase of 3,000 people, and following a gain of 7,100 a month earlier, whose figure was revised from a previously reported rise of 2,400.
Meanwhile, the average earnings index, including bonuses, rose by a seasonally adjusted 2.3% in the three months to August, in line with forecasts and after increasing by 2.4% (revised from an initial 2.3% increase) in the three months to July.
Excluding bonuses, wages rose by 2.3%, compared to forecasts for a 2.1% advance and following a 2.4% increase in the three months to July, which was revised from an initial 2.3% increase.
Following the report, GBP/USD traded at 1.2306 from around 1.2309 ahead of the release of the data, EUR/GBP was at 0.8931 from 0.8939 earlier, while GBP/JPY exchanged hands at 127.33 Compared to 127.24 previously.
Meanwhile, European stock markets traded slightly lower. London’s FTSE 100 lost 0.23%, the benchmark Euro Stoxx 50 slipped 0.02%, France's CAC 40 dropped 0.01%, while Germany's DAX traded down 0.11%.