German unemployment drops slightly in February

Unemployment in Germany, Europe's largest economy, fell slightly in February as the labor market remained strong.

The Federal Labor Agency said Wednesday the unadjusted rate fell to 5.7 percent in February from 5.8 percent the month before, with the number of unemployed dropping by 24,000 to 2.55 million.

When adjusted for seasonal factors, the rate remained at 5.4 percent, unchanged by the slight rise of 2,000 more jobs.

Following strong economic growth of 2.2 percent in 2017, the government is predicting a 2.4 percent expansion this year.