The unemployment rate in France fell to 8.9% on average in the fourth quarter of 2017, down 0.7 percentage point from the preceding three-month period and the lowest since early 2009, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies said.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, unemployment was down by 1.1 percentage points, the steepest year-over-year dip since the first quarter of 2008.

Third- and second-quarter 2017 unemployment rates were downgraded by 0.1 percentage point from prior estimates.

The long-term unemployment rate stood at 3.6% of the labor force during the last quarter of 2017, down by 0.6 percentage point compared to the prior quarter.