BERLIN (AP) -- The German economy could lose up to 215,000 jobs in 2009 amid the global economic crisis, Germany's Bild newspaper said Friday, citing a survey it compiled.
The report, which surveyed unions, trade groups and economic experts from 15 branches of the economy said between 50,000 and 100,000 jobs in the auto industry alone are threatened.
The logistics and delivery industry is also facing a projected loss of 40,000 jobs next year according to the German Association of Transport, the report said. Also threatened were the building, retail, banking and insurance sectors.
However, The German Association of Machinery and Plant Construction said its ranks would remain stable at 975,000. The Association of Electrotechnik and Electro Industry as well as the health care sector said they expected their job base to remain stable.
The projections come after Germany's jobless rate fell to 7.2 percent in October and the number of people out of work dropped below 3 million for the first time in 16 years, evidence that the financial crisis has yet to find its way through to the labor market.
