German unemployment rate rises to 8.2%

German unemployment jumped to 3.617 million people this month, official figures showed today, as Europe’s biggest economy continued to fight its way out of its worst economic crisis in decades.

The Federal Labour Office said the rate was 8.6% compared with December’s 7.8%, with unusually early and cold winter weather contributing to a loss in jobs and productivity.

Seasonally adjusted, the unemployment rate increased to 8.2% from 8.1%.

The office said the effects of the economic crisis were acute, though considering the massive decline in production, it has so far only had a moderate affect on the labour market.