French jobless ticks up to new record in November
PARIS (Reuters) - More people were unemployed in France in November than ever before, data showed on Wednesday, highlighting continued weak activity in the euro zone's second-largest economy.
The Labour Ministry said the jobless total in mainland France rose by 27,400 to 3,488,300, a 0.8 percent increase over one month and 5.8 percent over one year. The rise was sharpest among unemployed aged 50 or over, up 11 percent on the year.
President Francois Hollande has seen his popularity fall to the lowest ratings in French polling history, with a key factor being his failure to live up to promises to tackle unemployment.
The jobless increase in November was the third monthly gain in a row after a slight fall in unemployment in August.
The French government had been counting on a pick-up in business activity in the second half but has cut its 2014 economic growth estimate to 0.4 percent from 1.0 percent previously after the economy stagnated in the first half.
Data on Tuesday showed a slight rebound in consumer spending in November while the government confirmed its estimate of GDP growth at just 0.3 percent in the third quarter of the year.
(Reporting by Mark John; editing by Leigh Thomas)
