Taipei - Taiwan's jobless rate rose to an 11-month high of 4.06 per cent in July, due mainly to the increase in the number of fresh graduates and students seeking summer jobs, the government statistical agency said Friday.

In July, 442,000 people or 4.06 per cent were out of a job, up from 3.95 per cent in June and 4.03 per cent in the same month last year, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said in a statement.

Another reason for the increase was personnel scale-down and company shut-downs due to poor business, the agency said.

In the first seven months, the unemployment rate stood at 3.89 per cent, up from 3.9 per cent year on year, the agency said. (dpa)