Greek jobless rate drops to lowest since March 2010

ATHENS, Nov 3 (Reuters) – Greece’s jobless rate eased to 11.8% in September from a downwardly revised 12.1% the previous month, marking its lowest rate since March 2010, data from statistics service ELSTAT showed on Thursday.

The rate has been falling since it hit a record high of 27.8% in September 2013 but remains among the highest in the euro zone.

Seasonally adjusted data showed 556,324 people were officially unemployed, with those under the age of 24 years the hardest hit.

The jobless rate for people aged 15 to 24 rose to 28.5% in September, from 26.3% in the same month last year.

Unemployment was worse among women than men, with the rates at 15% and 9.2% respectively.

Greece’s economy expanded from April to June at a slower pace than in the first quarter and its annual growth rate decelerated.

The economy expanded at an annual 7.7% in the second quarter, slowing from an upwardly revised 8% growth in the previous quarter.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos Editing by David Goodman)