Unemployment down to 10.9% in Q2 (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, September 12 - Italy's unemployment rate dropped to 10.9% in the second quarter, 0.4 of a percentage point lower than the previous three months and 0.6 down in the same period in 2016, ISTAT said on Tuesday. The national statistics agency said the drop comes after three quarters of increases. It said the number of unemployed was 2.839 million in the second quarter, down 154,000 (5.1%) with respect to the same period last year. ISTAT's unadjusted unemployment rate is the lowest since the 10.5% in the same period of 2012. The seasonally adjusted figure of 11.2%, down 0.4 of a point on the previous quarter, is the lowest since the 10.7% registered in the third quarter of 2012. The number of people in employment rose by 78,000 (0.3%) in the second quarter with respect to the previous three months, ISTAT said. The agency estimated that the number in work was up by 153,000 (0.7%) with respect to the same period in 2016.