German unemployment rises in January

DPA
·1 min read
Detlef Scheele, Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), speaks at the BA headquarters during a press conference. Daniel Karmann/dpa
Detlef Scheele, Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), speaks at the BA headquarters during a press conference. Daniel Karmann/dpa

The number of unemployed workers in Germany rose in January compared to both the previous month and January 2023, new preliminary government figures show.

The unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points to 6.1%, Germany's Federal Employment Agency said on Wednesday, based on data through January 15.

Unemployment typically rises seasonally in January, although the preliminary figures put the number of unemployed this year at 189,000 higher than in January of the previous year.

The number of job vacancies also dropped, indicating that job hunting for unemployed workers may be getting more difficult. The agency reported 699,000 vacancies this month, which is 66,000 fewer than in January 2023.

"The annual rise in unemployment at the turn of the year is lower this year. Employment and demand for labour are also stable, meaning that the labour market is stable at the start of the year despite the ongoing economic weakness," said Andrea Nahles, the agency's chairwoman.