OTTAWA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Canada's unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 6.4 percent in July, Statistics Canada said Friday.
According to the national statistical agency, the country added 75,000 jobs in July, representing a 0.4-percent increase, while the employment rate edged up by 0.1 percentage points to 60.9 percent. The drop in unemployment marked the third consecutive monthly decline, bringing the rate down by 0.5 percentage points since April.
The gains were spread across both full-time and part-time employment, with the wholesale and retail trade sectors leading the growth by adding 21,000 jobs.
The biggest improvements were seen among Canadians aged 25 to 54, especially women. The unemployment rate for women in this age group fell to 5.2 percent, while unemployment rates remained steady for men, youth, and older workers, said the agency.
Average hourly wages among employees rose by 2.8 percent year over year to 37.17 Canadian dollars (about 27 U.S. dollars) in July, following growth of 3.3 percent in June, said Statistics Canada.
