Ranking and evolution of unemployment data in OECD countries (1)

The unemployment rate in the set of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries remained stable at 5.3% last August 2018, according to the latest data published by this international organization that groups 36 countries.

In absolute figures, a total of 33.5 million people were out of work in OECD countries, one million more than the number of unemployed people just over ten years ago, in April 2008, just before the start of the global financial crisis.

In the euro zone, the unemployment rate stood at 8.1% last August, one tenth less than the previous month. Spain, with an unemployment rate of 15.2%, is the second OECD country with the highest percentage of unemployed workers, only surpassed by Greece.

In some OECD countries, unemployment fell in August: in Italy it stood at 9.7% after falling half a point, and in Japan it dropped one tenth to 2.4%. In Mexico (3.3%) and United States (3.9%) it remained stable, while it rose in Canada (two tenths, to stand at 6%) and in South Korea (4 tenths to 4.2%). Subsequent data, corresponding to the month of September, placed the unemployment rate in the United States at 3.7%, the lowest since December 1969.

In the next Post-Data article, unemployment data in OECD countries will be analyzed for men and women and for the youth population.