OECD unemployment rate steady at 8.7 percent: OECD data

PARIS: The unemployment rate in the 31 leading industrialised economies came to 8.7 percent of the work force in April, the same as in March, data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development showed on Monday.

"The general picture is one of broad stability across OECD countries," the organisation said.

In the United States the May jobless rate fell 0.2 points from April to 9.7 percent.

The countries with the highest rates in May were Spain, 19.7 percent, Slovak Republic, 14.1 percent, Ireland, 13.2 percent, Portugal, 10.8 percent, Hungary, 10.4 percent, and France 10.1 percent.

South Korea, 3.7 percent, and the Netherlands, 4.1 percent, had the lowest jobless rates.