The number of employed decreased by 208,953 persons compared with December 2011 (a 5.4 percent rate of decrease) and increased by 40 thousand persons compared with November 2012 (a 1.1 percent rate of increase). Unemployed increased by 264 thousand persons (a 24.9 percent rate of increase) compared with December 2011 and by 4.6 thousand persons compared with November 2012 (a 0.3 percent rate of increase).
Inactive persons, that is persons that neither worked neither looked for a job, decreased by 4,584 persons (a 0.3 percent rate of decrease) compared with December 2011 and by 1,232 persons compared with November 2012 (no significant change).