Swiss unemployment holds near 3-year peak in March

Switzerland's unemployment rate held at its highest levels in nearly three years in March, as the recession continued to take its toll on the country's labour market.

The March rate stood at 3.4 percent, the same as February, when it rose to the highest level since April 2006, data from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs showed on Thursday.

The total number of unemployed rose to 134,713 in March from 132,402 in February. When adjusted for seasonal swings, the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.3 percent from 3.1 percent in February