Industrial output in Germany rose by 1.9% in January, after edging up by 0.1% the previous month, data published by the German Economy and Technology Ministry showed on March 8. The increase was bigger than expected: analysts had been penciling in a more modest increase in industrial output of around 0.5% last month.
The rise resulted primarily from a sharp increase in output in the key manufacturing and construction sectors, while energy output decreased, the ministry said in a statement. Construction output was up by 4.1% and manufacturing output grew by 2.2%, while energy output declined by 2.9%, the ministry calculated.
Using a two-month comparison to iron out short-term fluctuations, pan-German industrial output expanded by 2.1% in December and January compared with the figure for October and November.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007
