UPDATE 1-Mexico unemployment rate jumps to 5.31 pct in May

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MEXICO CITY, June 24 (Reuters) - Mexico's unemployment rate rose unexpectedly in May to 5.31 percent as the recession continued to take its toll, the national statistics agency said on Wednesday.

The jobless rate is at its highest since 1996 when Mexico was emerging from a deep recession known as the Tequila Crisis.

Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected the jobless rate MXUNR=ECI to decline to 4.87 percent from the 5.25 percent posted in April.

Mexico's export-oriented manufacturing sector has shed tens of thousands of jobs as U.S. demand for Mexican-made products such as cars and televisions has fallen sharply.

The malaise in the export-oriented parts of the economy has filtered into other sectors as consumer confidence has plunged to record lows this year.

The Mexican government expects the economy to contract 5.5 percent this year, while the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Wednesday it could shrink up to 8 percent. (Reporting by Robert Campbell; Editing by James Dalgleish)