France's Q2 unemployment rate jumps to 8.3%, highest in nearly 6 years
Macro
The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies reported that the unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2026 stood at 8.3%, up from 8.1% in the first quarter and above the 8.2% forecast by analysts. This marks the highest level in nearly six years, or since late 2020, reflecting a deteriorating labor market that could undermine President Emmanuel Macron's goal of full employment by the end of his second term next year, amid pressure from the energy price crisis and the Iran war.
