Germany's unemployment rate fell to 9.6 percent in November from the 9.8 percent a month earlier, the lowest record in four years, the Federal Labor Office announced on Thursday.

The number of jobless people fell below four million for the first time in four years, the Nuremberg-based office said.

After seasonal adjustment, the unemployment rate stands at 10.2 percent, compared to 10.4 percent in October.

The office reported that the number of employed was up by 350,000 or 0.9 percent in October 2006 over the same period last year.

The number of unemployed was down by 450,000 or 12.7 percent from a year earlier. This means that employment rates were at their highest levels, while unemployment rates were at their lowest in October, since 2001.

Frank-Juergen Weise, chief of the office, said that mild weather and the stable economic upturn were having a positive effect on the labor market.

"Stable economic conditions and mild weather have resulted in the autumn upswing (in the labour market) continuing in November," he said.

Source: Xinhua