The average unemployment rate was 7.7pc in July-September a year earlier. After slightly lower rates in the previous three-month periods, the jobless rate returned in June-August to its peak reached in February-April this year, and went further up to a more than 13 years record in July-September. Analysts expected 10.1pc from July-September. In July-September the unemployment rate for the 15-64 age group was 10.4pc, up from 10.0pc in June-August and 7.8pc a year earlier. The harmonized unemployment rate calculated according to the Eurostat methodology was 9.5pc for Hungary in August – up from 7.8pc in August last year -, 9.5pc for the EU-15 and 8.9pc for the EU-27 in August, KSH said. The average number of unemployed was 436.200 in the 15-74 age group in July-September, up from 418,800 in June-August and from 327,700 a year ago. The number of employed in the 15-74 age group fell to 3,783,500 from 3,800,200 in the previous three-month period, and was also down from 3,924,300 a year ago. The participation or activity rate was 54.9pc for the 15-74-year age group, similar to that in June-August but down from 55,2pc in July-September last year. It was 61.9pc for the 15-64 age group in July-September, up 0.1pc point from June-August but slightly down from 62.1pc a year ago. Of all unemployed, 19.8pc were from the 15-24 age group, a fall of 0.6pc points in one year. However, unemployment rate in this age group grew to 27.7pc during one year from 20.8pc.. 42.3pc of the unemployed was seeking a job for one year or more in July-September, and the average length of unemployment was 16.4 months, down from 18.8 months a year ago.