Summary Box: German consumer confidence rises amid optimism on economy and jobs

Summary Box: German consumer confidence improves

THEY’RE HAPPY: German consumer confidence jumped as economic expectations spiked to their highest level in three years and unemployment continues to fall. The GfK research institute said its confidence indicator for October stood at 4.9 points, up from 4.3 in September.

THE REASONS: GfK said the decisive factor driving consumer sentiments was “the extremely positive development of the employment market.” Germany’s unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in August, about where it was two years ago before the global financial collapse. Europe’s biggest economy has enjoyed strong export-led growth this year.

THE OUTLOOK: Growth is expected to moderate over the rest of the year, but GfK said “the overall trend will remain positive.”