ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s unemployment rate fell to 8.8% in January from 9.0% in December, data showed on Thursday, due to people withdrawing from the labour market, while employment levels were broadly stable for the second month running.
However, in the three months to January employment was up by 120,000 or 0.5%, compared with the August-to-October period, national statistics bureau ISTAT said.
The January unemployment rate of 8.8% was the lowest since May 2020.
Compared with January 2021, the number of people in work increased by 729,000, or 3.3%, ISTAT said.
In January the youth unemployment rate, measuring job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old, fell to 25.3% from 26.6% the month before.
Italy’s overall employment rate, one of the lowest in the euro zone, was stable for the third month running in January, at 59.2%.
ISTAT gave the following data:
JAN DEC NOV OCT
JOBLESS RATE 8.8 9.0 9.1 9.3
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (15-24) 25.3 26.6r 27.5 27.8r
EMPLOYMENT RATE (15-64) 59.2 59.2r 59.2r 58.9r
r=revised
(Reporting By Gavin Jones)
