Real orders received in the German manufacturing sector increased by 0.9 percent in February 2026 compared to January, after adjusting for seasonality and calendar effects. According to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Wednesday, the order intake was 3.5 percent higher than the previous month when major orders were excluded.
Looking at the less volatile three-month comparison, the order intake from December 2025 to February 2026 rose by 2.0 percent compared to the three months prior; without major orders, this period saw a decrease of 0.8 percent. In January 2026, the order intake fell by 11.1 percent compared to December 2025, following a revision of preliminary results, which confirmed the initial finding.
The positive trend in order receipts for the manufacturing sector in February 2026 was largely driven by a significant increase in the automotive industry (+3.8 percent compared to the previous month, adjusted for seasonality and calendar effects). Gains were also contributed by the textile industry (+45.2 percent) and metal production and processing (+3.7 percent). Conversely, a decline in the construction of other vehicles (including aircraft, ships, trains, and military vehicles) by 25.9 percent negatively impacted the overall result.
For investments, the order intake at the end of the month was 0.2 percent higher, while for preliminary goods, it increased by 1.4 percent compared to the previous month. The demand for consumer goods rose by 4.5 percent.
International orders grew by 4.7 percent in February 2026. Orders from the Eurozone increased by 6.7 percent, and those from outside the Eurozone rose by 3.5 percent. Conversely, domestic orders declined by 4.4 percent.
Separately, according to preliminary data, the real value in manufacturing for February 2026 was 0.5 percent lower than the previous month after adjusting for seasonality and calendar effects. Compared to February 2025, excluding seasonal and calendar variations, the turnover was 0.4 percent higher. For January 2026, the revised preliminary results showed a 0.7 percent increase compared to December 2025, which was less than the preliminary figure of a 1.5 percent rise.
