Germany 's jobless rate fell to 8.8 percent in September, its lowest level in over 14 years, showing Europe's largest economy is in good health despite financial market turmoil and a strong euro.
Unemployment fell for the 18th month running, the Federal Labour Office said on Thursday, with the seasonally adjusted jobless total falling 50,000 to 3.694 million. A Reuters poll had pointed to a smaller monthly decline of 20,000.
The fall in the seasonally adjusted jobless rate to 8.8 percent from a downwardly revised 8.9 percent in August took it down to the lowest level since June 1993.
Today's figures are a further boost for Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government, which made cutting unemployment a priority when it took office in late 2005.
A robust economic recovery has helped the jobless total fall steadily from a post-war high above 5 million in early 2005.
Despite falling unemployment , German consumer spending has remained weak, and was dealt a blow in January by a 3 percentage point sale tax hike.