Greek unemployment dips to 20.5 percent in September

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's jobless rate eased to 20.5 percent in September from an upwardly revised 20.7 percent in August, the country's statistics service ELSTAT said on Thursday.

Seasonally adjusted data showed the number of registered unemployed at 981.126 people, with younger persons aged up to 24 bearing the brunt of being out of work.

Among younger persons aged 15 to 24, the jobless rate eased to 39.5 percent from 45 percent a year ago.

Greece's jobless rate, which hit a record high of 27.9

percent in September 2013, has been easing in recent months but

remains the highest in the euro zone.

Greece expects the unemployment rate to fall to 18.4 percent

next year, based on projections in its 2018 budget draft.

Unemployment in the 19 countries sharing the euro stood at 9.8 percent in October, the lowest rate since January 2009.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos)