German jobs motor continues to sputter in August

Job creation in Germany stagnated this month as businesses are reluctant to hire staff in the face of a slowing economy. But a two-month trend of declining job demand has been broken, the Labor Agency has said. The German Labor Agency's Job Creation Index (BA-X) edged up a minimal one point to 164 points in August over the previous month. The index reading, derived from the number of vacancies reported to the Labor Agency, reached the level of May 2011, but was seven points lower than in August last year. "In view of a cooling economy, businesses have generally grown cautious about hiring staff," the agency said in a statement Wednesday. However, job creation in Germany remained at a high level, the Labor Agency said, adding that two consecutive months of declining job demand in June and July could have been halted. The Nuremberg-based Labor Agency noted that rising demand was reported from the temporary work sector, which accounted for one out of three vacancies registered with the agency. In addition, German retailers and the construction sector, as well as catering, health and social services were looking for staff. The BA-X highest reading was reported in the months of November 2011 to January 2012, when it reached 179 points. A historic low was posted in December 2004 at just 95 points. According to analysts polled by Reuters news agency, unemployment in Germany is expected to rise in August by a seasonally adjusted 8,000 people, marking the fifth consecutive month of increasing joblessness in Germany. However, the German Labor Agency, which will publish its newest unemployment figures on Thursday, said that it expected a seasonal upswing in employment to begin in September.