The nation added over 100-thousand jobs in January, marking the smallest increase in 13 months.

According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Wednesday, employment reached 27-point-98 million last month, up 108-thousand from a year earlier.

It marks the smallest year-over-year gain since December 2024, when 52-thousand jobs were lost.

Employment among people aged 15 to 29 fell by 175-thousand, while employment among those aged 60 and older rose by 141-thousand, the smallest gain since January 2021.

Job losses continued in key industries, with the manufacturing sector shedding 23-thousand jobs and the construction sector losing 20-thousand positions in January.

The employment rate of the working age population, those aged 15 to 64, reached 69-point-two percent, up zero-point-four percentage points from a year earlier.

But the rate among those aged 15 to 29 slipped one-point-two percentage points year-over-year to 43-point-six percent, marking the 21st consecutive monthly decline.