Italy: Youth joblessness hits 24-year high to reach 35.1%

Rome, 31 Oct. (AKI) - The proportion of young people unemployed in recession-mired Italy reached its highest level since 1988 in September, reaching 35.1 percent,central statistics office Istat reported. The overall jobless rate rose to 10.8 percent the same month, Rome-based Istat said.

The September unemployment figure for under-25s is higher than the 34.5-per-cent figure registered in 1988, while the number of Italians without a job swelled to 2.8 million, a 25 percent increase on the year, according to Istat.

The annual inflation rate fell to 2.6 per cent in October, down from 3.2 per cent in September, according to Istat.