Germany's unemployment rate held at a record low in
February, adding to signs that Europe's biggest economy has entered the new
year on a strong footing, according to data released on Wednesday.
Monthly jobless queues in the nation contracted for the
fifth consecutive month in February, declining by a more-than-forecast
seasonally adjusted 14,000 to 2.592 million, the Federal Labour Agency said.
The solid state of the jobs market is good news for
Chancellor Angela Merkel as she gears up for a series of key state elections in
the coming months leading to the national election set down for September 24.
The jobless rate remained unchanged in February at 5.9 per
cent - its lowest level since German unification in 1990.
Analysts had expected the number out of work to drop by
10,000 in February.
"The labour market continues to develop
positively," said labour agency chief Frank-Juergen Weise, adding that
demand for labour remained at a high level amid signs that the jobs market
could be tightening.
The number of job vacancies in Germany rose to 674,661 last
month from 646,991 in January, the labour agency said. Job vacancies stood at
613,885 in February last year.
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