German unemployment had fallen below the crucial four-million mark in April thanks to expanding economic growth, German Labor Minister Franz Muentefering announced on Tuesday.

Some 3.97 million people were registered as unemployed, a drop of 140,000 compared to March and 800,000 fewer than in April 2006, said Muentefering, adding that he expected the positive trend to continue this year thanks to Germany's encouraging overall economic performance.

The German Federal Labor Agency will release the official April unemployment figures on Wednesday.

Germany's jobless rate fell to the lowest in almost six years in March as companies boosted spending and hiring to meet booming export orders. German government last week raised its economic growth forecast for 2007 to 2.3 percent from 1.7 percent and predicted an acceleration to 2.4 percent next year.

Source: Xinhua