FRANKFURT: German unemployment jumped in January to 8.6 percent, or 3.617 million people, official data showed yesterday, as Europe's biggest economy continues to fight its way out of its worst economic crisis in decades.

The Federal Labor Office said 342,000 more people were unemployed compared with December, when the jobless rate was 7.8 percent, with unusually early and cold winter weather contributing to a loss in jobs and productivity.

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