Spain's unemployment rate falls to 22.37 pct in Q2

Spain's unemployment rate fell to 22.37 percent in the second quarter of the year, according to data of the Inquest into the Active Population (EPA) unveiled on Thursday by Spain's Statistical Office (INE).

The number of people out of work in the country stood at 5,149,000, the INE said, while the unemployment rate fell from the 23.78 percent in the first quarter to the 22.37 percent of the second quarter of the year, which meant 295,000 fewer people unemployed.

On a year-on-year basis, the number of unemployed people fell by 473,900.

The INE reported that a total of 411,800 new jobs were created between April and June, while a total of 513,000 were created over the last 12 months.

During the second quarter, most of the jobs were created especially due to the tourist peak season, when above all the services sector takes on more workers to face the rise on demand. Employment grew by 291,700 in this sector in the second quarter.

Employment also grew in industrial, construction and agriculture sectors by 64,800 people, 32,300 people and 23,000 people respectively, while three in four new jobs created during the second quarter were temporary.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy described unemployment data as "excellent", saying that the improvement experienced by Spain's labor market was "structural". Endit