China’s Youth Jobless Rate Falls Again in June, but Labor Pressures Persist

China’s youth unemployment rate fell for a third straight month in June, though it remained above the level a year earlier, highlighting persistent strains in the labor market despite seasonal improvement.

The unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24, excluding students, declined 0.7 percentage point from May to 14.9%, according to data released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics. The overall urban jobless rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 5%, also marking a third consecutive monthly decline and matching the level recorded a year earlier.