French unemployment slightly up in Q3-18
A t a first glance, the French unemployment rate (ILO definition ) i n Q 3 2018 looked almost stable at 9. 1 % for France and 8 . 8 % for Metropolitan France slightly lower than expected (8.9%) . But the data have been revised upwards especially for Metropolitan France, from 8.7% to 8.8% in Q2. Consequently, 2,728 million people were unemployed in Q3 in France (after 2,702 in Q2) and 2,567 million people were unemployed in Metropolitan France in Q3 (after 2,545 in Q2). Since Q3 2017, the continuing fall of the French unemployment rate (ILO) has stopped and the unemployment rate has displayed since then some volatility . This can be linked to the end of the hiring premium programme for SMEs in June 2017, the strong reduction of state-sponsored low-pay jobs contracts under the government Philippe and the growth slowdown. The French unemployment rate is expected to remain stable until the end of this year, reaching + 8 . 8 % on average in 201 8 in Metropolitan France and + 9. 1 % in France.