Investing.com - The U.K.'s unemployment rate fell to a six-year low in December, fuelling optimism over the strength of the labor market, official data showed on Wednesday.
In a report, the U.K. Office for National Statistics said that the rate of unemployment dipped to 5.7% in the three months to December from 5.8% in the preceding three month-period and better than expectations for a reading of 5.8%.
The report also showed that the claimant count fell by a seasonally adjusted 38,600 last month, compared to expectations for a decline of 25,000 people.
December’s figure was revised to a drop of 35,800 people from a previously reported decline of 29,700.
GBP/USD was trading at 1.5416 from around 1.5374 ahead of the release of the data, while EUR/GBP was at 0.7394 from 0.7416 earlier.
Meanwhile, European stock markets remained broadly higher. London’s FTSE 100 tacked on 0.15%, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.9%, France's CAC 40 advanced 0.95%, while Germany's DAX picked up 0.65%.