German unemployment slips to 6.8 percent as springtime hiring bolsters robust economy

Germany's unemployment rate edged down to 6.8 percent in March as a traditional springtime uptick in hiring bolstered an already robust labor market in Europe's biggest economy.

The Federal Labor Agency said Tuesday that the unadjusted jobless rate was down from 6.9 percent in February. Some 2.93 million Germans were registered as unemployed — 85,000 fewer than the previous month and down 123,000 from a year earlier.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the unemployment rate slipped to 6.4 percent from 6.5 percent in February. Economists had expected it to remain unchanged.

Last week, a closely watched survey showed German business confidence increasing for the fifth consecutive month amid solid domestic demand and prospects of a weaker euro helping Germany's strong export sector.