Catalan jobless rate at its lowest for 10 years

The unemployment rate in Catalonia is at its lowest for 10 years, according to figures published on Thursday by Spain’s statistics institute.

The jobless rate in the country now stands at 11.39%, the lowest rate since the third quarter of 2008, when the rate was 8.8%.

Figures from the Labor Force Survey (EPA) show that the number of people out of work in Catalonia fell in the second quarter of this year by 26,700 jobseekers, a 5.82% drop compared with the previous month, to a total of 432,000 people.

There are also 65,500 (13.16%) fewer unemployed people than in the second quarter of last year.

The EPA also shows that 57,200 new jobs were created in Catalonia in the second quarter of this year, some 1.73% more than in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, in annual terms, some 89,900 new jobs have been created in Catalonia, or some 2.75% more.