BRUSSELS (AP) — Official figures show that the unemployment rate in the 19-country eurozone has fallen to its lowest level since January 2009, further evidence that the buoyant economic recovery across the region is being felt in most corners of the labor market.

Eurostat, the European Union's statistics agency, said Thursday that the jobless rate fell to 8.8 percent in October, from 8.9 percent the previous month. That's the lowest since January 2009, when the region, like the world economy, was reeling from the global financial crisis and the ensuing deep recession.

Though the eurozone is growing strongly, inflation is not rising as anticipated. Eurostat said its headline measure was 1.5 percent in November. While up from October's 1.4 percent, it was below expectations in markets for a rise to 1.6 percent.