German industrial production experienced a notable rebound in May 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Statistical Federal Office (Destatis) on Monday. Production in manufacturing, adjusted for price changes, rose by 1.2 percent compared to April, which had seen a downward revision of its previous estimate to a decrease of 1.6 percent.
Over a three-month period, from March to May 2025, production increased by 1.4 percent compared to the preceding three months, indicating a positive trend. When compared to May 2024, production was up 1.0 percent on a calendar-adjusted basis.
The positive performance in May was primarily driven by growth in the automotive sector (+4.9 percent month-on-month) and energy generation (+10.8 percent). The pharmaceutical industry also contributed positively with a rise of +10.0 percent. However, a decline in construction activity (-3.9 percent) partially offset these gains.
Overall industrial production, encompassing manufacturing and beyond, rose by 1.4 percent in May when compared to April, factoring in seasonal and calendar adjustments. Investment goods production increased significantly (+4.1 percent), while consumer goods production saw a modest rise of +0.5 percent. Conversely, output of intermediate goods decreased by 2.1 percent. Year-on-year, industrial production also rose by 1.4 percent on a calendar-adjusted basis.
Within energy-intensive industries, production decreased by 1.8 percent in May compared to April, after seasonal and calendar adjustments. However, a three-month comparison (March to May) revealed a 0.7 percent increase compared to the prior three-month period. Production in these energy-intensive sectors was 4.8 percent lower compared to May 2024, when assessed on a calendar-adjusted basis.