Wellington - New Zealand's unemployment rate increased slightly in the June quarter to 3.9 per cent, according to official figures released Thursday.

The number of people in work still rose 1.2 per cent to 2.2 million, the second-highest figure on record, Statistics New Zealand said.

Employment Minister Ruth Dyson said that New Zealand's jobless rate had been under 4 per cent for four years and was the sixth lowest unemployment rate in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, whose 30 members averaged 5.7 per cent.

She said the figure indicated that the economy was coping with the significant international pressures of high oil prices, the global credit crunch and high food costs. (dpa)