Unemployment in the euro area fell slightly in October, with the jobless rate slipping to 8.4 percent in seasonally-adjusted terms from 8.5 percent in September, the EU's statistics agency said Wednesday. On a 12-month basis, however, the unemployment rate was substantially higher than the 7.4 percent recorded in October last year as the fallout from the coronavirus takes its toll on the economy, Eurostat said in a statement. With the pandemic dealing a devastating blow to global activity, there have been a wave of lay-offs in recent months, despite the mammoth rescue package put in place by Brussels to help keep firms afloat. aro/fmi/cdw/spm