GERMAN JOBLESS FALL STRONGER THAN EXPECTED Seasonally adjusted unemployment fell 28,000 in December(market consensus had been for a 17k fall). The unemploymentrate fell to 9.2% from 9.3%. The main reason for the fall was the8,000 decline in east German unemployment, after 3,000 rise inNovember. In the west, unemployment fell by 20,000 after a21,000 fall in November. The number of non-farm payroll jobsrose again, by 36,000, but at a slower pace than in November.The number of short-time workers fell an unadjusted 69,000,while the number of vacancies remained at a 27-year high of545,000. The German data are the first official indication aboutDecember labour markets in the euro-area and point to anotherstrong result.