Eurozone unemployment rate hit 12% in February 2013

Eurozone unemployment rate reached new record high of 12% in February 2013, according to the official figures.

The number of people unemployed in eurozone, which includes 17 states, rose by 33,000 during February 2013, to hit 19.07 million, the statistics agency Eurostat said.

Eurozone unemployment rate reached new record high of 12 percent in February 2013

The highest rate was 26.4% in Greece, although the most recent figure for the country was from December.

The new figures from Eurostat have also confirmed a deterioration in the eurozone’s manufacturing sector in March.

The final Markit manufacturing PMI index for the month fell to 46.8, slightly higher than an initial estimate but below the 47.9 recorded in February.

Any score below 50 indicates a contraction in the sector.