According to the employment statistics released by the INE, the number of unemployed rose 1.0% in the quarter to an estimated 640,200, but was down 10.2% from the first quarter of 2015.

Analysts contacted by Lusa had said that a further rise in unemployment was probable, given the recent slight slowdown in economic activity.

Most analysts estimated a jobless rate of 12.4% and 12.6%, with the exception of BBVA, which had foreseen a decline in the rate to 12.1%.

The jobless rate had already risen to 12.2% in the fourth quarter of last year from 11.9% in the third quarter.