Germany's Monthly Manufacturing Orders Drop in August; Industrial Output Down in France, Spain

07:26 AM EDT, 10/06/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Factory orders in Germany fell on a monthly basis in August, while industrial production in France and Spain also declined over the period, according to data from the countries' statistics agencies published Tuesday. In Germany, seasonally and calendar-adjusted manufacturing orders dropped 10.6% month over month in August, reversing the revised 3.2% growth in July, according to provisional figures from the country's Federal Statistical Office. The latest reading came in well above market forecasts of a 0.9% decrease. Destatis largely attributed the negative development to a 61.5% plunge in new orders in the other transport equipment sector, after a revised 129.4% surge in July arising from large-scale orders in the manufacturing of ships, railway rolling stock and aircraft. Excluding large-scale orders, new orders in manufacturing were 0.1% lower month over month. In neighboring France, industrial production was down 0.3% month over month in August, following a revised 0.6% decline in July, data from the country's statistics agency, Insee, showed. Analysts expected a 0.2% uptick for the month. Manufacturing output, however, edged up 0.3% in August after a 0.8% decrease in the prior month, mainly supported by an increase in the manufacture of other industrial products and electrical, electronic and computer equipment. "These figures do not make us more optimistic about the French economy. They confirm that industry, which has so far held up better than several components of domestic demand, lacks sufficient momentum to become a genuine engine of growth. Order books remain weak, inventories are high and August's rebound is too concentrated to suggest a lasting improvement," research firm ING said, noting that the French economy is still at risk of stagnation. Over in Spain, industrial production was down 0.7% month over month, adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, against the 0.6% increase previously, according to provisional data from the country's National Statistics Institute.