Greek unemployment dips to 24.6 per cent in second quarter

BUSINESS

Greek unemployment dips to 24.6 per cent in second quarter

The Associated Press Published Thursday, September 17, 2015 8:37AM EDT Last Updated Thursday, September 17, 2015 8:37AM EDT

In this photo taken on Thursday, June 18, 2015 a work called "I Need Job, Not Speech" by artist Wild Drawing. The mural refers to Greece's shockingly high unemployment rate. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Text:

ATHENS, Greece -- Unemployment in Greece fell slightly in the second quarter, just before the worst of the country's most recent financial jitters.

The country's statistical agency said Thursday the rate fell to 24.6 per cent from 26.6 per cent the previous quarter, but remains the highest in the 28-nation European Union.

Just over 1.1 million Greeks were unemployed during the period.

About half of young Greeks seeking jobs were out of work, with the unemployment rate in the 15-24 age group standing at 49.5 per cent, down from 52 per cent in the same quarter last year.

Greece has been struggling through an economic crisis since 2010, and its financial situation worsened this year when concerns rose again about its future in the euro. Thousands of private businesses have shut in recent years, adding to unemployment.