German unemployment rate ticks up to 6.4 percent in August but job market remains robust

Germany's unemployment rate crept up to 6.4 percent in August, but the Federal Labor Agency says the job market in Europe's largest economy remains robust.

The agency reported Tuesday that 23,000 more people were jobless in August over July, for a total of 2.796 million people out of work. That sent the jobless rate up 0.1 percentage points from 6.3 percent in July.

When adjusted for seasonal developments, the number of jobless actually dropped by 7,000 for a statistically unchanged 6.4 percent adjusted unemployment rate for the fifth month in a row.

Germany's healthy labor market contrasts with those in some southern European countries, where unemployment rates are far higher.