The number of registered jobless in Spain rose 0.45% in September from August, the second monthly increase in a row after six months of declines, data from the Labour Ministry show.

Spain has emerged from a prolonged recession this year to become one of the fastest-growing economies in the euro zone, but the expansion has done little to reduce high unemployment.

The number of registered jobless in September is often affected by seasonal summer contracts running out. It rose by 19,720 people in September from the previous month, leaving 4.45 million people out of work.

However, the rise is the smallest monthly increase in registered jobless for September since 2007.

On average, the number has risen by more than 70,000 in September for the past six years.

On a yearly basis, the number of unemployed, as measured by those signing on at government offices, was down by 276,705 people from September 2013, or 5.86%, the Labour Ministry said.

The quarterly unemployment rate - running at 24.5% in the second quarter - is the second-highest in Europe after Greece.