The European Labour Market Barometer signals a turnaround, standing at 101.1 points in February after rising for the second time in a row – an increase of 0.6 points compared to January. “The prospects for the European labour markets have clearly improved since the beginning of the year,” reports Enzo Weber, IAB head of forecast. The unemployment component of the labour market leading indicator of the European Network of Public Employment Services and the IAB rises by 0.7 points and, at 99.9 points, approaches the neutral mark of 100 points. Therefore, no further rise in unemployment is expected. The employment component climbs 0.5 points to 102.3 points, which clearly signifies a positive outlook.
