The chances are now growing that average unemployment will be below three million in 2011 as well. By the fall of 2011 the jobless total could even fall as low as 2.7 million. But this assumes that the economy continues to point at least moderately upwards. The prospects are good. Even if the external im-pulses taper off, the domestic economy is set to strengthen on the back of the improvement on the labor market, as evidenced by the growing propensity to consume seen in recent months. The ongoing pickup on the labor market boosts the prospect of a self-sustaining upswing.