- Title: German unemployment rises more than expected in December
- Date: 3rd January 2020
- Summary: NUREMBERG, GERMANY (JANUARY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) HEAD OF FEDERAL LABOUR OFFICE, DETLEF SCHEELE, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF SCHEELE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF FEDERAL LABOUR OFFICE, DETLEF SCHEELE, SAYING: "The labour market presented itself robust at the end of the year, but with signs of economic weakness. The number of unemployed people rose in December. The number of employed people with social insurance was still on the rise but with less momentum and the demand of businesses for new employees has noticeably decreased." VARIOUS OF HANDOUTS SHOWING UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF FEDERAL LABOUR OFFICE, DETLEF SCHEELE, SAYING: "The annual average in 2019 saw 2.267 million people registered as unemployed, 37.000 less than 2018. The underemployment went down by 85.000 to 3.2 million on annual average. 2019 is therefore the year with the lowest unemployment as well as underemployment since reunification" (in 1990). VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS LISTENING JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF FEDERAL LABOUR OFFICE, DETLEF SCHEELE, SAYING: "There a first signs that the economic cycle could pick up again. This is no reason for us yet to be too optimistic for the future. An economic recovery could have a delayed impact on the labour market as usual. Regardless of the economic frame conditions and its impacts, we will have to deal with the issue of getting and keeping skilled workers in 2020 and the following years." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF FEDERAL LABOUR OFFICE
- Embargoed: 17th January 2020 10:45
- Keywords: economy labour market unemployment
- Location: NUREMBERG & WIESBADEN & COLOGNE, GERMANY
- City: NUREMBERG & WIESBADEN & COLOGNE, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BUMAZKD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German unemployment rose more than expected in December, data showed on Friday (January 3), adding to signs that weakness in the manufacturing sector is hurting the labour market in Europe's biggest economy.
Data from the Federal Labour Office showed the number of people out of work rose by 8,000 to 2.279 million in seasonally adjusted terms. That compared with the Reuters consensus forecast for a rise of 2,000.
A recession in the manufacturing sector prompted by weakening exports has dented Germany's robust labour market, which has been the backbone of a consumption-led growth cycle. It has also resulted in weaker growth.
Friday's data showed that the rise in unemployment was the highest since May. The jobless rate held steady at 5.0% - slightly above the record low of 4.9% reached earlier this year.
"The labour market presented itself robust at the end of the year, but with signs of economic weakness," said Labour Office head Detlef Scheele.
Economists expect unemployment to rise slightly this year. Yet a strong services sector should see more Germans entering the labour market.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Christine Soukenka, Ulrike Heil) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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