Spain's job market continues to recover despite Ukraine crisis

MADRID, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish labor market continued to add jobs in March despite the impact of the conflict in Ukraine, according to the country's Public Employment Service (SEPE).

The number of people registered as out of work decreased by 2,921 to 3,108,763 and a further 140,232 people have been enrolled in the country's social security system, the SEPE said on Monday.

The current jobless rate is the lowest since the start of the economic crisis in March 2008 and 840,877 lower than a year ago, according to official figures.

Meanwhile, 19,958,479 people are now affiliated to the social security system, hitting the "highest ever level," according to the SEPE website.

Spain's economy was negatively affected in March by the spiraling energy costs, caused partly by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

These price rises have prompted a three-week stoppage by the country's truck drivers, causing national supply-chain problems amid a somewhat stagnating labor market in the second half of the month.