German jobless figures rise

German unemployment increased by the most in a year in March, clouding the outlook for growth in Europe’s largest economy after three years of stagnation.

The number of jobless rose a seasonally adjusted 44,000 from February, the Nuremberg-based Federal Labor Agency said. It was the third straight monthly increase. The adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 10.4% from 10.3%.

The rise in unemployment may add to calls from politicians for the European Central Bank to lower interest rates to spur growth, which is lagging that of the US and Japan.