The share of unemployed people increased slightly from 3.1% to 3.3% in January as a result of typical seasonality during the winter months. The labour market remains tight, as the number of job vacancies further increased to a new record high.

The result of external trade in November was a pleasant surprise, although for the entire year 2018 the trade balance will end up with a lower surplus than the year before. Labour market pressures did not let up at the end of the year. The higher share of unemployed in December was caused by seasonal effects, and the increasing number of vacancies shows that demand for labour remains strong.

The American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic prepared an update on the workforce in the Czech manufacturing sector. This report focuses on main trends in employment and median wages in six occupational categories (managers, professionals, technicians, clerical workforce, craftsmen and plant, machine operators and assemblers) in the private sector at the national level.