The real order stock in the manufacturing sector in Germany increased by 0.2 percent seasonally and calendar-adjusted in December 2024 compared to November. On a calendar-adjusted basis, the order stock was 0.6 percent lower than in the same month of the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported on Wednesday, citing preliminary data.
The increase in the order stock compared to the previous month is largely due to the development in the aeronautical industry (seasonally and calendar-adjusted +3.0 percent compared to the previous month), with a high volume of large orders contributing to the growth in this sector. The increase in the order stock in the machinery industry (+0.4 percent) also had a positive impact. On the other hand, the decline in the order stock in the production of electrical equipment (-0.5 percent) and in the automotive industry (-0.4 percent) had a negative effect on the overall result.
The open orders from the domestic market increased by 2.0 percent in December compared to November, while the order stock from abroad fell by 0.9 percent. The order stock at manufacturers of investment goods and consumer goods both rose by 0.3 percent. In the sector of intermediate goods, the order stock decreased by 0.5 percent.
The lead time of the order stock increased in comparison to November 2024 from 7.3 months to 7.5 months, according to the statisticians. The lead time at manufacturers of investment goods rose from 9.9 months to 10.1 months and at manufacturers of intermediate goods from 4.1 months to 4.2 months. At manufacturers of consumer goods, the lead time remained constant at 3.6 months.