ROMA (ITALPRESS) – In July, according to the data of the Istat Note on the trend of the economy, the number of employees is substantially unchanged compared to the previous month, attesting to 24 million 370 thousand units. This result is a synthesis of an increase between men and 35-49 years, in the face of a decline between women and all other age groups. For a professional position, employment grows between permanent employees and self-employed persons as it decreases among end-employees, continuing a trend in progress for a few years.
The employment rate is stable at 63.2%. Compared to June there is a fall in unemployment, due to a decrease in the size of men, 15-34 years and those aged at least 50 years. In the monthly comparison, the total unemployment rate, which in the euro area is stable to 6.4%, is down to 5.8% (-0.1 points) while the youth unemployment rate rises to 18.9% (+0.2 points). Still compared to June, at 32.8% the inactivity rate is stable. On a quarterly basis, in the quarter of May-July 2026 there was an increase in the level of employment of 0.4% on a conjunctural basis (for a total of 91 thousand employed) which affects men, women and only permanent employees.
The growth of employment is associated with the increase of people seeking work (+3.4%, equal to +49 thousand units) and the decrease of inactives (-1.2%, equal to -144 thousand units). Increasing the index of hourly contractual wages in June, both on a conjunctural basis (+0.5%) and curtains (+2.4%), the latter with similar increments for the private sector (+2.4%: +3.2% in agriculture, +2.7% in industry and +2.2% in private services) and for the public sector (+ 2.3%).
In the second quarter of 2026, the increase in contractual remuneration in the private sector (+2.3%) showed a slight slowdown compared to the first quarter of 2026 (+2.4%); in the public sector, however, wage growth was marginally higher (+2.7%), due to contractual renewals relating to the three-year period 2022-2024, but less than the first quarter of 2026 (+3.3%). At the same time, a reduction in the incidence of employees affected by expired contracts is observed: this share is in fact a little more than 10% of employees.
– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
