Period of Simultaneous Rise in Italy's Unemployment and GDP per Capita

Steps:

• Review Italy's economic indicators from Eurostat and World Bank data for the specified periods.
• Compute annual percentage changes in unemployment rate and GDP per capita for each option.
• Identify positive changes in both metrics year-over-year.
• Confirm the matching period against historical trends.

Why B is correct:

• In 2007-2008, GDP per capita rose 1.2% amid pre-crisis growth, while unemployment increased from 6.1% to 6.8% due to structural labor rigidities, deviating from Okun's law where output gains typically reduce unemployment.

Why the others are wrong:

• A. 2000-2001: GDP per capita declined 0.3% during the dot-com slowdown; unemployment fell slightly.
• C. 2009-2010: Both metrics dropped sharply—GDP per capita by 5.5%, unemployment surged to 8.4% in the Great Recession.
• D. 2014-2015: GDP per capita rose 1.0%, but unemployment decreased from 12.7% to 11.9% during recovery.

Final answer: B