(RTTNews) - Portugal's jobless rate decreased further in September, continuing the falling trend witnessed over the past several months, provisional data from Statistics Portugal showed Monday.

The unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent from 8.8 percent in August, which was the lowest since November 2008, when it was 8.9 percent.

The youth unemployment rate, which applies to the 15-24 age group, rose to 25.7 percent from 24.8 percent.

The number of unemployed eased to 442,000 from 451,700 in the previous month.