The jobless rate in the 12 nation euro zone was stable in November at 8.9% of the workforce compared with October, the statistics office Eurostat said today. The unemployment rate in November 2003 was also 8.9%.
In the full 25-member European Union, 8.9% of the workforce was unemployed in October, down slightly from 9.1% in September and from 9.1% in November 2003.
The lowest euro zone unemployment rate was seen in Ireland with 4.3%, Luxembourg with 4.4% and Austria with 4.5%. The highest was in Spain with 10.5% and Germany with 9.9%.
Outside of the euro zone, two of the EU's new member states continued to post the highest rates with 18.4% in Poland and 17.3% in Slovakia.
Eurostat also said today that retail sales inched up 0.4% in November from the same month a year ago, pointing to persistently weak consumer spending in the 12 nation single currency area. In the 25 member EU, retail sales were up 0.4% from October and 2.3% year on year.
In monthly terms, euro zone retail trade was dragged down by weak performance in Germany, where sales fell by 2.5% and by 2.8% in Portugal. They increased by 2.5% in Denmark and by 1.7% in Spain and Sweden.
