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BERLIN (AP) — Germany's unemployment rate fell to 6.3 percent in October as the labor market in Europe's biggest economy continued to gain steam.
The Federal Statistical Office said Thursday 2.733 million people were jobless in October, 75,000 fewer than in September, when the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent.
Adjusted for seasonal trends, the jobless rate stood at 6.7 percent for the eighth consecutive month.
Germany's economy has been slowing, and business and consumer confidence has slid on concerns over the turmoil in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Nonetheless, ING economist Carsten Brzeski says indications are the labor market should remain solid, supporting private consumption.
But while the new figures are "clearly good news for the economy," he says low unemployment means politicians will be less likely to support short-term stimulus or investment initiatives.
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