The figures released on Thursday by the Ministry of Labour confirm a trend that had been emerging for months. Registered unemployment fell in June by 28,739 people compared with May, bringing the total down to 2,291,982 unemployed. A figure this low had not been seen since January 2008, that is, before the financial crisis broke out.
The decline is not evenly spread across sectors. Services account for almost all of the adjustment, with 28,498 fewer jobless, driven by the start of the tourist season.
They are followed by industry, with 2,829 fewer unemployed, construction, with 1,326, and agriculture, where the drop is limited to 384. There is, however, one figure that breaks the run of good news: the number of people with no previous employment has risen by 4,298, an indication that those looking for their first job, or trying to return to the labour market after some time out, are finding it harder to secure a place.
By age group, youth unemployment continues to fall: 5,155 fewer young people than in May and 6,907 fewer than a year ago, with the total standing at 159,800, the lowest level in the entire historical series for this group. The year-on-year drop is more noticeable among young women, with 4,090 fewer unemployed, than among men, with 2,817.
