In July, the estimate of occupied dropped by 0,3% compared to June (-63 thousand), interrupting the positive trend recorded in the previous four months (+0,4% in March, +0,5% in April, +0,2% in May and June). Istat writes this in its monthly communication on the labor market, specifying that the decrease is attributable to both men and to a greater extent to women and concerns the self-employed (-68), while employees remain substantially unchanged. Employed people fall in the age group up to 49 years while they increase among the over 50s (+402 thousand in one year). The employment rate, equal to 57,3%, decreased by 0,1 percentage points on the previous month.
In the May-July 2016 period, the monthly changes in employment resulted in a substantial increase in employed persons (+0,7%, equal to 157 thousand units) compared to the previous quarter, with widespread signs of growth both by gender and by professional position and character of the occupation.
As for the monthly estimate of unemployed, in July it fell by 1,3% (-39 thousand), after the increase recorded in June (+1,3%). The decrease affects both men (-1,4%) and women (-1,2%) and all age groups except 15-24 year olds (+23 thousand) and 25-34 year olds (+38 thousand). The unemployment rate it drops overall to 11,4%, down 0,1 percentage points from June. The unemployment rate youth instead it rises to 39,2%, up by 2 percentage points compared to the previous month: this is the highest figure since August 2015 when the rate was 39,6%.
The estimation of inactive between 15 and 64 years of age increased by 0,4% in July (+53 thousand), after the drop recorded in the previous four months. The increase concerns women compared to a substantial stability of men. The inactivity rate was 35,2% (+0,2 percentage points).
During the May-July quarter, the increase in employed persons (+0,7%, equal to +157 thousand) is associated with a decrease in inactive persons (-1,3%, equal to -185 thousand), while the unemployed are slightly up (+0,1%, +4 thousand).
On an annual basis, the trend towards an increase in the number of employed people is confirmed (+1,2%, equal to +266 thousand). The tendential growth is attributable to employees (+1,7%, equal to +285 thousand) and occurs for men and women, concentrated above all among the over 50s (+402 thousand). In the same period both the unemployed (-1,5%, equal to -44 thousand) and the inactive (-2,9%, equal to -407 thousand) fell.
