Germany’s labor market showed unexpected weakness in May, with unemployment figures rising more than analysts had anticipated. According to data released by the labor office on

Wednesday, the number of people out of work increased by 34,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis, bringing the total to 2.96 million.

This marks a continued upward trend, following April’s jobless numbers, which had already reached a ten-year high. Analysts had forecast a smaller increase of just 10,000, making the latest figures a notable miss.

The data highlights ongoing challenges for Europe’s largest economy, as it navigates a period of economic strain under the leadership of a new government. Photo by Phil Whitehouse, Wikimedia commons.