Employment grew by 1.2% in both the euro area and the EU28 in the fourth quarter of 2018 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2017, according to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.

Data from Eurostat also showed that employment over the whole year 2018 rose by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU28 when compared to 2017.

When compared to the third quarter of 2018, employment increased by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU28.

At the same time Eurostat also published GDP data for the fourth quarter. Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 1.2% in the euro area and by 1.4% in the EU28 in the fourth quarter of 2018 when compared to the same period in the previous year.

Meanwhile, seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.2% in both the euro area and the EU28 in Q4 when compared to the previous quarter.

Over the whole year 2018, seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 1.8% in the euro area and by 1.9% in the EU28.

Earlier this month, Eurostat published unemployment data that showed the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.9% in December 2018, and 6.6% in the EU28.