BERLIN — German factory orders rose more strongly than expected in January, a promising sign of strength in Europe’s largest economy, official figures showed Friday.
The Federal Statistical Office reported that industrial orders rose 1.4% in January over the previous month when adjusted for seasonal and calendar variations, double what economists had been predicting.
A 2.6% drop in domestic orders was more than offset by a 4.2% increase in foreign orders, the office reported.
Germany’s economy has been doing better than several others in the 19-country eurozone as it was supported by manufacturing, which has taken less of a hit than services during the pandemic.
Last week the Statistical Office reported the German economy grew 0.3% in last year’s fourth quarter compared with the previous three-month period, a better performance than previously thought.
The revision meant that last year’s overall drop in GDP was a touch less sharp than originally reported — 4.9% rather than 5%.
