FRANKFURT--German unemployment fell in January in line with
expectations, the country's labor office said Thursday, suggesting
that consumer spending should bolster activity in Europe's largest
economy.
The number of unemployed fell by 9,000 in January after seasonal
variations in the data, following a 25,000 drop in December.
Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had forecast a decline
of 10,000 for January. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate
was 6.5% in January, down from 6.6% in December.
Germany's solid labor market, along with the cheap energy
prices, has supported consumer sentiment and spending. The monthly
survey by GfK has predicted consumer sentiment will reach a 13-year
high of 9.3 points in February, improving from 9.0 points in
December.
Write to Emese Bartha at emese.bartha@wsj.com
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