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Unemployment in Northern Ireland is continuing to fall, the latest government figures suggest.

The number of people claiming unemployment related benefits fell by 700 in October to 34,000 - the seventh consecutive monthly decrease.

Northern Ireland's unemployment rate is 5.6% against the UK average of 4.8%.

Economy minister Simon Hamilton said it was "positive news" adding: "Our unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been since October-December 2008."

ANALYSIS

The headline official figures show an ever greater proportion of people in work in Northern Ireland.

The employment rate is touching 70% - its highest since 1995.

But year-on-year, there has been a swing away from full-time jobs.

7,000 fewer people are in full-time employment.

But the number of part-time workers is up by 30,000 and temporary workers up by 10,000.

Two in every three of the additional part-time jobs were filled by women.

One economist believed the headline figures "conceal" a rise in the unemployment rate among men.

Richard Ramsey, chief economist of Ulster Bank, pointed out on Twitter it has risen from 6.2% to 7.3% within the past year.

He said it may mean that manufacturing job losses - predominantly male - were being offset by a growth in female workers in other sectors.