VIENNA, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Austria's unemployment rate rose to 8.6 percent in

December, t he ministry of labour and social affairs said on Wednesday.

KEY FIGURES

AUSTRIAN UNEMPLOYMENT Dec 12* Nov 12* Dec 11

Registered unemployed (thousands) 323.0 270.4 304.8

Percentage of workforce 8.6 7.2 8.2

Unemployment rate (EU harmonised)** 4.3 4.3 4.3

* provisional

**seasonally adjusted, EUROSTAT, last available month

(Reporting by Michael Shields; editing by Angelika Gruber)

Keywords: ECONOMY AUSTRIA/UNEMPLOYMENT

(Michael.Shields@thomsonreuters.com)(+43 1 531 12 258)(Reuters Messaging: michael.shields.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.