BRUSSELS: Eurozone unemployment hit a 10-year high of 9.5 percent in July and is seen rising further before a nascent economic recovery supports the job market, denting hopes that consumer spending will boost growth.

The jobless rate in the 16-country euro currency area climbed to its highest since May 1999 as the number of people without work rose by 167,000 from June to 15.09 million, the European Union's statistics office said yesterday.

The July unemployment level compared with June's 9.4 percent and was in line with market consensus.