The main factor behind the 0.5% decline in industrial output in Germany was a .8% drop in output in the manufacturing sector. Industrial output fell in December from the figure for November, after already slipping by 0.4% the previous month, data published by the German Economy and Technology Ministry showed on Feb. 7.
By contrast, energy output was higher, rising by 1.4% and construction output jumped by 3.4%.
Using a two-month comparison to iron out short-term fluctuations, pan-German industrial output stagnated in November and December combined from the figure for September and October, the ministry calculated.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2006
