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07/07/2026 July 7, 2026 German factory output beats forecasts but recovery remains fragile German production has risen more than expected, offering a fresh sign of
07/07/2026 July 7, 2026 German factory output beats forecasts but recovery remains fragile German production has risen more than expected, offering a fresh sign of stabilization in Europe's largest economy. The Federal Statistical Office says industrial, construction and energy output rose 0.9% in May from April.
Industrial output alone rose 0.8% in May, driven largely by a 3.6% jump in car production. Output in energy-intensive sectors, which have come under pressure from higher energy costs linked to the Iran conflict, edged up 0.2%. The overall figure beats economists' forecasts of a 0.1% to 0.2% increase.
Michael Herzum, an economist at fund manager Union Investment, told the Reuters news agency it was "a sign of life, but not yet a comeback." Herzum said years of declining competitiveness had pushed production back to levels last seen in 2010, underlining the depth of Germany's industrial slowdown.
"German industry has halted the downward trend, but the path out of the crisis is not a sprint upward; it is a snail's pace," he said.
The BriefWire