Brazil creates fewer than expected formal jobs in May

BRASILIA, June 30 (Reuters) - Brazil's economy created a net 148,992 formal jobs in May, data from the Labor Ministry showed on Monday, below the expected by economists.

The figure represents a 6.8% increase from the 139,557 net formal jobs created in the same month last year, adjusted data showed, but it fell short of the 179,000 expected by economists in a Reuters poll.

The data accounts for 2,256,225 jobs opened and 2,107,233 closed in the period, according to the ministry.

From January to May, a net 1,051,244 jobs were created in Brazil, down from 1,105,385 a year earlier, according to adjusted data.