By Tuba Ongun
Germany's factory orders fell for the third consecutive month in March, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday.
The figure dropped 0.4% month-on-month in March, following a downwardly revised 0.8% decline in February and bucking the market forecast of a 0.4% rise.
New orders in other transport equipment (such as aircraft, ships, and trains) decreased 2.3% from the prior month and the manufacture of fabricated metal products dove 4.5%.
The automotive industry and the manufacture of electrical equipment posted a 1.1% and 5.9% rise, respectively, in new orders.
On an annual basis, new factory orders dropped by a calendar-adjusted 1.9% in March.