France's unemployment rate stood at 7.2% in the fourth quarter, its lowest rate since the first three months of 2008, according to official statistics published on Tuesday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast an unemployment rate of 7.3% for the fourth quarter, while the unemployment rate had stood at 7.3% for the third quarter. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten)