German jobless rate up to 7.4 pct in February

[February 29, 2012]  BERLIN (AP) -- Official data show that Germany's unemployment rate edged up to 7.4 percent in February, due to a spell of bitterly cold weather.

The Federal Labor Agency said Wednesday the unadjusted jobless rate was up from 7.3 percent in January. The number of people registered as unemployed was 3.11 million -- that's 26,000 more than in January but 203,000 fewer than a year ago.

Germany's job market is nonetheless remains in a good condition after two years of strong economic growth.

Its strength contrasts with high unemployment in economically weaker countries that have been hit hard by the eurozone debt crisis. Spain and Greece have jobless rates above 20 percent.

[Associated Press]

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