Italy's economic data shows minor positive signs

Unemployment in Italy fell 0.1 percent for the second consecutive month in January, the national statistics institute Istat said Monday.

Unemployment in the country was at 12.6 percent in January, the same level as a year ago, while 11,000 jobs were created over December.

Also in January, the unemployment rate for those aged between 15 and 24 dropped to 41.2 percent from 41.4 percent the previous month.

On a yearly basis, Istat estimated that the unemployment rate increased to 12.7 percent in 2014. In the same year, 22.3 million people were employed, up 0.4 percent from 2013.

"Some 130,000 more jobs were created in 2014. This is good but not enough," Prime Minister Matteo Renzi commented on a social network.

Labor Minister Giuliano Poletti said the Istat data was "encouraging," adding they could mean "a better 2015 for employment and the economy."

He stated there could be as many as 150,000 new jobs this year also as a result of a law recently enacted by the government aimed at streamlining the Italian labor system.

Latest economic indicators have predicted that the country's economy this year would see small positive signs of recovery after registering no growth since the second quarter of 2011.

In 2014, the Italian gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 0.4 percent, after falling by 1.7 percent in 2013, Istat said Monday.

However, in its monthly report released at the end of last week, the Rome-based institute said it expected Italy's economic output to rise 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2015, mostly driven by exports. Endit