V.encouraging jobs data - Padoan (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, October 2 - Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Monday "the Jobs Act is giving flattering results and today the ISTAT data are very encouraging, in particular on the jobs created in the last three and a half years." He said "this must be ascribed to growth but also to the strengthening of the labour market". Italy's unemployment rate dropped to 11.2% in August, down 0.2 of a percentage point with respect to July and 0.4 compared to the same month in 2016, statistics agency ISTAT said earlier on Monday. The jobless rate for 15-to-24-year-olds who are actively on the labour market dropped to 35.1% in August, ISTAT said.
    This is 0.2 of a percentage point down on July and 2.2 points lower than August 2016. The number of people in employment increased by 36,000 in August with respect to July and by 375,000 compared to the same month in 2016, according to an ISTAT estimate released on Monday. The national statistics agency said that the employment rate had risen to 58.2%, up 0.1 of a percentage point on July and one point on the same time last year.
    It said the month-on-month rise was down to women workers employed on temporary contracts.