Youth unemployment climbs to 44.2%, highest since 1977 (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, July 31 - Italy's youth unemployment rate climbed to 44.2% in June, the highest level since Istat started publishing monthly and quarterly data in this problem at the start of 1977, according to preliminary data released by the national statistics agency on Friday. The rate of unemployment for under-25s on the job market was 1.9 percentage points higher than in May. However, the number of young people considered "inactive" because they are not in work or actively looking for a job dropped 0.2 of a percentage point to 74%.