Bookings for goods made in Germany declined by 3.9 percent on the month, data from the Economy Ministry showed, undershooting the Reuters consensus forecast for a 1.0 percent decline and undercutting even the lowest estimate for a 2.5 percent fall.
The decrease was driven by sharp falls in contracts for capital and intermediate goods as well as a slight drop in orders of consumer products. The Economy Ministry said fewer big orders also played a role.
The data for December was revised up to a 4.4 percent increase from an originally reported 4.2 percent gain.