Spain sees fall in unemployment rate

The number of people registered as unemployed in Spain has fallen, bringing some cheer as the country looks to emerge from recession in 2013.

Labour Ministry figures released today show the registered jobless figure dropped by 59,094 in December compared to November, making for a rounded total of 4.8 million people listed as unemployed.

Spain is in the throes of its second recession in just over three years. Its economy has been battered by a collapse in the once-key property sector.

Over the whole year, some 426,000 people joined the unemployed ranks, an increase of 9.6% on 2011.

Spain’s unemployment rate was 25% at the end of the third quarter.