Germany’s factory orders rose by 0.9% month-on-month in February 2026, rebounding from an 11.1% slump in January but falling short of market expectations for a 2% increase. The recovery was driven primarily by the automotive industry, where orders expanded by 3.8%. Significant gains were also recorded in textiles (up 45.2%) and in metal production and processing (up 3.7%).
By contrast, orders in the broader vehicle manufacturing sector—which includes aircraft, ships, trains, and military vehicles—declined sharply, plunging by 25.9%.
Across product categories, demand increased for capital goods (0.2%), intermediate goods (1.4%), and consumer goods (4.5%). Foreign orders rose by 4.7%, supported by stronger demand from both the euro area (up 6.7%) and non-euro area markets (up 3.5%), while domestic orders fell by 4.4%.
Excluding large-scale contracts, total orders were up by 3.5%. On a less volatile three‑month comparison, new orders from December 2025 to February 2026 were 2.0% higher than in the previous three‑month period; however, excluding large orders, they declined by 0.8%.
