Italy s youth unemployment rate falls

Rome March 2 (IANS/AKI) Youth joblessness declined in Italy to 37.9 per cent in January from 39.2 per cent the previous month according to official data issued on Thursday.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 11.9 per cent in January stable from December when it stood at its highest level in 18 months national statistics agency Istat reported.

The employment rate -- one of the lowest in the eurozone -- nudged up 0.1 per cent in January from the previous month to reach 57.5 per cent as 30 000 more jobs were created Istat said.

The December youth jobless rate was revised down from 40.1 per cent while the overall unemployment rate that month was revised down from 12 per cent.

The youth unemployment rate measures job seekers between 15 and 24 years old.

--IANS/AKI
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