German Labor Market Remained Robust in December -Labor Agency

German jobless claims fell more than expected in December as the unemployment rate remained at a record low level, data from the Federal Employment Agency showed on Wednesday.

Jobless claims fell by 29,000 in December, the labor agency said. This is significantly more than the decline of 10,000 expected by economists in The Wall Street Journal's survey. The November figure was also revised to show a fall of 20,000 compared with the first reading for a decline of 18,000.

Germany's adjusted jobless rate came in at 5.5%, matching a record low hit in November. The November figure was revised from a first estimate of 5.6%.

Demand for new staff remained strong, averaging 731,000 in 2017, the labor agency said, adding that this number was 75,000 higher than in 2016.

Write to Emese Bartha at emese.bartha@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 03, 2018 04:17 ET (09:17 GMT)