German industrial output registered a modest increase in July 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Seasonally and calendar adjusted, production rose by 1.3 percent compared to June. However, over a less volatile three-month period from May to July 2025, output declined by 0.1 percent compared to the previous three months.
Initial estimates for June had indicated a steeper decline of -1.9 percent, but this was revised downwards to -0.1 percent following corrections to preliminary results. Destatis attributed the revision to updated data from a major automotive manufacturer and supplementary information submissions. Year-on-year, production in July 2025 was 1.5 percent higher than in July 2024, adjusted for calendar variations.
The July uptick was primarily driven by a significant increase in the machinery sector, which saw a 9.5 percent rise (seasonally and calendar adjusted) compared to the previous month. Positive contributions also came from the automotive industry, with a 2.3 percent increase and the pharmaceutical sector, which experienced an 8.4 percent rise. A decline in energy generation (-4.5 percent) partially offset these gains.
Overall industrial production witnessed a more substantial rise, increasing by 2.2 percent compared to June, adjusted for seasonality and calendar effects. All three main industrial groupings reported increases: investment goods production rose by 3.0 percent, consumer goods by 2.1 percent and intermediate goods by 0.8 percent. Construction output also climbed by 0.3 percent. When compared to July 2024, industrial production was up 2.3 percent (calendar adjusted).
Within energy-intensive industries, production edged up by 0.4 percent in July compared to June, seasonally and calendar adjusted. However, over the three-month period from May to July 2025, production in these sectors decreased by 2.6 percent. Looking at the year-on-year comparison, energy-intensive production in July 2025 was 4.8 percent lower than in July 2024.