German factory orders post surprise fall in September

German factory orders dropped unexpectedly in September amid weak domestic demand and sluggish overseas demand, official data showed on Monday. According to Destatis, orders for German-made products fell 0.6% in the reported month, the biggest drop since April, after rising for two consecutive months, while market analysts expected a 0.2% increase. Meanwhile, the August gain of 1.0% was revised down to 0.9%. Despite the September drop, however, the overall growth of factory orders remained positive in the Q3. Destatis also pointed to improved sentiment indicators that provided hopes for a rebound in the industrial sector over the rest of the year. Nevertheless, analysts remained cautious, noting that the sector remained weak since 2013-2014. Domestic demand declined 1.1%, whereas foreign orders fell 0.3% in September. Factory orders from other countries in the Euro zone decreased 4.5% in the same month. The drop was mainly driven by lower demand for capital goods produced in the Euro zone's largest economy. Orders intermediate and consumer goods increased modestly. The German economy was expected to lose steam in the Q3 2016, after expanding 0.7% and 0.4% in the Q1 and Q2, respectively.