Italy’s unemployment rate rose to 6.2% in August 2026 from an upwardly revised 6.0% in July, exceeding the 5.7% market expectation. It was the highest rate since March 2025, as the number of unemployed people increased 3.1%, or 48,000, to 1.59 million. Unemployment rose among both men and women and across all age groups. The employment rate slipped to 63.0% from 63.1% in each of the previous four months, with employment falling by 5,000 to 24.35 million. The decline reflected reductions in fixed-term employees, self-employed workers, and employed people aged 25-34 and 35-49, partly offset by increases in permanent employees and workers aged 50 and over. Youth unemployment among people aged 15-24 rose to 20.3%, its highest since September 2025, from 19.7% in July. The inactivity rate edged down to 32.7% from 32.8% in both July and June.