Amsterdam - The number of unemployed in the Netherlands will rise to 4.5 per cent of the Dutch labour force in 2008, government sources told Dutch news wire ANP on Thursday.

The calculations were made by the Dutch Central Planning Bureau (CPB), which provides statistics to the government, but have not been published yet.

According to the unnamed government sources, the CPB also adjusted the unemployment figure for this year upward from 4 to 4.25 per cent of the 7.5 million people in the work force.

If the calculations are correct, this will mark the end of almost 10 consecutive years of gradual unemployment reduction in the Netherlands.

The new unemployment rates are another indication the global credit crisis is also affecting the Dutch economy.

On August 7, the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics said inflation in July was 3.2 per cent and was expected to rise. (dpa)