Italy's record jobless high contrasts with new low in Germany

Rome

ITALIAN unemployment unexpectedly rose to a record high that's more than double the German rate, keeping alive concerns about the diverging growth outlook in the euro area.

The jobless rate increased to 13.4 per cent from a revised 13.3 per cent in October, while separate data showed the euro region rate at 11.5 per cent. The reports contrast with data from Germany showing unemployment there fell to the lowest in more than two decades last month.