Italy's unemployment rate nudged down 0.2 percent to 11.2 percent in August from July as 36,000 new jobs were created, national statistics agency Istat said on Monday.
The youth joblessness rate measuring people aged 15 to 24 who were looking for work also fell slightly to 35.1 percent from 35.4 percent in July, reaching its lowest level since April this year, Istat reported.
A total of 113,000 jobs were created in the three month period from July to August, according to the Istat data.
Net employment increased an annual 1.6 percent in August among men and women in all age groups, the Istat figures showed.
The biggest jump in annual employment in August was among the over-50s, who accounted for 354,000 out of the 375,000 new hirings over the period.
Italy's overall employment rate rose in August to 58.2 percent from 58.1 percent in July, continuing the upward trend over last four years, according to Istat's figures.
"#Istat: joblessness is down, employment is up... listen to us about the future - #onwards," tweeted Matteo Renzi, leader of Italy's ruling centre-left Democratic Party.
But Niciola Fratoianni, leader of Italy's leftwing Sinistra Italiana party disputed Renzi's optimism, calling it "madness".
"Istat said today that the 0.2 percent rise in employment in August owes entirely to short-term contracts issued for the summer season," Fratoianni stated.
"Renzi is celebrating and tells us to listen to his party in future. Sure - a future made up of short-term contracts. This is madness," he said.
.jpg)
