Spain's unemployment rate rises

Spain's unemployment rate has risen more than half a percentage point in the third quarter to 21.5%.

The National Statistics Institute said today the country's jobless ranks swelled by nearly 145,000 in the July-September period. The jobless rate in the second quarter was 20.9%.

The total number of people unemployed as of the end of the third quarter was 4,978,300.

Spain is struggling to recover economic growth after crawling out of nearly two years of recession. Opposition conservatives are tipped to score a landslide win in general elections on November 20.

AP