This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35694107
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Eurozone unemployment rate falls to 10.3% | Eurozone unemployment rate falls to 10.3% |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Unemployment in the eurozone fell for a third consecutive month in January, dropping to its lowest rate since August 2011. | Unemployment in the eurozone fell for a third consecutive month in January, dropping to its lowest rate since August 2011. |
| Eurostat, the EU's statistical agency, said the jobless rate in the 19-country eurozone declined to 10.3% in January from 10.4% in December. | Eurostat, the EU's statistical agency, said the jobless rate in the 19-country eurozone declined to 10.3% in January from 10.4% in December. |
| The number of people unemployed in the eurozone fell by 105,000 to 16.65 million. | The number of people unemployed in the eurozone fell by 105,000 to 16.65 million. |
| The eurozone's jobless rate hit a high of 12.1% during the first half of 2013. | The eurozone's jobless rate hit a high of 12.1% during the first half of 2013. |
| In the 28 member European Union the unemployment rate fell to 8.9%. That was down from 9% in December and the lowest rate recorded since May 2009. | In the 28 member European Union the unemployment rate fell to 8.9%. That was down from 9% in December and the lowest rate recorded since May 2009. |
| The lowest unemployment rate in the eurozone was in Germany at 4.3%, while the highest rates were in Spain, at 20.5%, and Greece, at 24.6%. | The lowest unemployment rate in the eurozone was in Germany at 4.3%, while the highest rates were in Spain, at 20.5%, and Greece, at 24.6%. |
| Weaker demand | |
| According to Markit's survey of purchasing managers for eurozone manufacturers on Tuesday activity expanded at its weakest pace for a year last month as deep price cuts failed to boost slowing order growth. | |
| Markit's manufacturing PMI for the eurozone dropped to 51.2 from January's 52.3. | |
| Chris Williamson, Markit's chief economist said: "Concerns are growing that the region is facing yet another year of sluggish growth in 2016, or even another downturn. Lacklustre domestic demand is being compounded by a worsening global picture." | |
| This could slow the decline in unemployment as businesses become more cautious about taking on new staff. | |
| Constant encouragement | |
| On Monday, separate figures showed that the eurozone fell back into deflation in February, driven by lower energy costs, particularly crude oil. | |
| The latest inflation figures from Eurostat estimated that consumer prices across the region were 0.2% lower last month than a year earlier. | The latest inflation figures from Eurostat estimated that consumer prices across the region were 0.2% lower last month than a year earlier. |
| The return of deflation is seen as increasing the likelihood that the European Central Bank will announce more stimulus measures at its meeting next week on 10 March. | |
| This will probably mean more quantitative easing - buying financial assets with newly created money. | |
| Another expected measure is a further cut to its bank deposit rate, which is already in negative territory. | |
| This means commercial banks are penalised for depositing their reserves with the central bank in the hope they will lend their cash to the private sector. | |
| The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in cutting its growth forecasts for 2016. | |
| The Group of 20 (G20) finance ministers and central bankers agreed on Saturday to use "all policy tools, monetary, fiscal and structural - individually and collectively" to renew growth. |