By Crispian Balmer and Sophie Hardach
PARIS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - France's headline unemployment total fell by 18,700 in December, the first drop in six months, but ministers warned that the jobs market remained fragile.
The government data showed the number of registered jobseekers eased to 2.61 million in December, down 0.7 percent on November, but an 18.5 percent jump from 12 months earlier.
Employment Minister Laurent Wauquiez said earlier on Wednesday that jobs data improved in December, without giving precise details, but cautioned against excessive optimism.
'One month is not a long-term trend,' he told France Info radio. 'In 2010, the decline will have to be turned around in order to sustainably reduce unemployment.'
French unemployment rose by 3,100 in November, with the number of registered jobseekers put at 2,630,400.
This government data is not prepared according to the widely used International Labour Office standards and does not include an unemployment rate, but it is politically significant as the most widely reported domestic jobs indicator.
According to the most recent data from European Union statistics agency Eurostat, France's unemployment rate in November was 10.0 percent, in line with the euro zone average.
President Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that French jobless levels would decline this year as the economy recovers, although he gave no precise forecast.
'We have doubled the prospects for French growth this year. A few months ago, everyone was betting growth of less than one percent. We will be at 1.4 percent, maybe more and you will see that unemployment will begin to fall from this year,' he said.
Nevertheless, many analysts are expecting unemployment to continue to rise in 2010. The median forecast of economists in a recent Reuters poll was for the quarterly unemployment rate to rise to 10.1 percent in 2010 from 9.4 percent in 2009.
The government also said in its latest budget outlook given last week that 71,000 jobs would be destroyed this year, raising some questions about Sarkozy's optimism.
A separate report on consumer confidence on Wednesday showed that households are concerned that unemployment will rise in coming months, a worrying sign for spending which is the mainstay of the French economy.
(Editing by Andy Bruce) Keywords: FRANCE UNEMPLOYMENT (crispian.balmer@reuters.com ; +33 1 49495242; Reuters Messaging: crispian.balmer.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
PARIS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - France's headline unemployment total fell by 18,700 in December, the first drop in six months, but ministers warned that the jobs market remained fragile.
The government data showed the number of registered jobseekers eased to 2.61 million in December, down 0.7 percent on November, but an 18.5 percent jump from 12 months earlier.
Employment Minister Laurent Wauquiez said earlier on Wednesday that jobs data improved in December, without giving precise details, but cautioned against excessive optimism.
'One month is not a long-term trend,' he told France Info radio. 'In 2010, the decline will have to be turned around in order to sustainably reduce unemployment.'
French unemployment rose by 3,100 in November, with the number of registered jobseekers put at 2,630,400.
This government data is not prepared according to the widely used International Labour Office standards and does not include an unemployment rate, but it is politically significant as the most widely reported domestic jobs indicator.
According to the most recent data from European Union statistics agency Eurostat, France's unemployment rate in November was 10.0 percent, in line with the euro zone average.
President Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that French jobless levels would decline this year as the economy recovers, although he gave no precise forecast.
'We have doubled the prospects for French growth this year. A few months ago, everyone was betting growth of less than one percent. We will be at 1.4 percent, maybe more and you will see that unemployment will begin to fall from this year,' he said.
Nevertheless, many analysts are expecting unemployment to continue to rise in 2010. The median forecast of economists in a recent Reuters poll was for the quarterly unemployment rate to rise to 10.1 percent in 2010 from 9.4 percent in 2009.
The government also said in its latest budget outlook given last week that 71,000 jobs would be destroyed this year, raising some questions about Sarkozy's optimism.
A separate report on consumer confidence on Wednesday showed that households are concerned that unemployment will rise in coming months, a worrying sign for spending which is the mainstay of the French economy.
(Editing by Andy Bruce) Keywords: FRANCE UNEMPLOYMENT (crispian.balmer@reuters.com ; +33 1 49495242; Reuters Messaging: crispian.balmer.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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