CYPRUS: Unemployment slightly down in January, still above 16%

Unemployment in Cyprus fell slightly in January to 16.1%, compared to 16.4% in December 2014, but still above the 15.7% rate recorded in January 2014, according to Eurostat.

The EU’s statistical office said the eurozone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.2% in January, down from 11.3% in December 2014, and 11.8% in January 2014, recording the lowest rate in the euro area since April 2012.
The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.8% in January, down from 9.9% in December 2014 and 10.6% in January 2014.
Among the EU member states, the lowest unemployment rates in January were recorded in Germany (4.7%) and Austria (4.8%), and the highest in Greece (25.8% in November 2014) and Spain (23.4%). Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in January fell in 24 member states, remained stable in Belgium and increased in Cyprus (15.7% to 16.1%), Finland (8.4% to 8.8%) and France (10.1% to 10.2%).
The largest decreases were registered in Spain (25.5% to 23.4%), Estonia (8.5% to 6.4% December 2013 to December 2014), and Ireland (12.1% to 10.0%).