Berlin - German unemployment fell for the fifth consecutive month in February, dropping twice as much as forecast with the pickup in Europe's biggest economy driving a gain in hiring.
The number of jobless in Europe's biggest economy in seasonally adjusted terms dropped by 20 000 to 2.812 million in February, the labour office said.
Analysts surveyed by dpa-AFX had expected the numbers out of work to drop by 10 000 in February.