China youth unemployment rate falls to 14.9% in June, third month of decline

China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for the 16‑24 age group, excluding students, dropped to 14.9% in June, a decline of 0.7 percentage points and the third consecutive month of decrease. The overall urban unemployment rate also fell slightly to 5.0%.

The 25‑29 age bracket saw its rate edge down to 7.1%, while service‑sector employment—including accommodation, catering, wholesale, retail, transportation and information technology—continued to expand. NBS official Xiao Ning attributed the improvement to post‑Spring Festival activity and seasonal demand.

A record 12.7 million students are set to graduate this summer, roughly 4% more than the previous year, which could exert upward pressure on youth unemployment in the coming months.