Press release No. 507 of 4 November 2021
New orders in manufacturing:
September 2021 (in real terms, provisional):
+1.3% on the previous month (seasonally and calendar adjusted)
+9.7% on the same month a year earlier (calendar adjusted )
August 2021 (in real terms, revised):
-8.8% on the previous month (seasonally and calendar adjusted)
+10.4% on the same month a year earlier (calendar adjusted )
WIESBADEN – Real (price adjusted) new orders in manufacturing rose by 1.3%, on a seasonally and calendar adjusted basis, in September 2021 compared with August 2021, according to provisional results of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Not including major orders, an 0.2% increase in new orders in manufacturing was recorded in August 2021.
In September 2021, new orders increased most considerably in the manufacture of machinery and equipment (+12.2%), where comprehensive major orders were reported. A 9.6% increase in new orders was recorded in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, after a 12.6% decline had been seen in August 2021.
Compared with February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany, new orders in September 2021 were 8.6% higher in seasonally and calendar adjusted terms. Compared with September 2020, they were by a calendar adjusted 9.7% higher.
Domestic orders were down 5.9% in September 2021 on the previous month. Foreign orders rose by 6.3%. New orders from the euro area decreased by 7.3%. The increase in new orders from other countries, also attributable to major orders in the manufacture of machinery and equipment, amounted to 14.9% (excl. major orders: +6.7%).
Producers of intermediate goods saw new orders in September 2021 fall 2.0% on the month before. The producers of capital goods recorded an increase of 3.9%. Regarding consumer goods, orders were down 1.7%.
After revision of provisional results for August 2021, a decrease of 8.8% on July 2021 was recorded (provisional figure: -7.7%). The difference from the provisional result is due to late reporting of major orders in manufacture of other transport equipment.
Turnover down 0.3% on the previous month
According to provisional figures, real turnover in manufacturing (seasonally and calendar adjusted) was down 0.3% in September 2021 compared with August 2021. Compared with September 2020, turnover was by a calendar adjusted 2.9% lower.
Compared with February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany, turnover in September 2021 was 10.4% lower in seasonally and calendar adjusted terms.
For August 2021, revision of the preliminary outcome resulted in a decrease of 5.8% compared with July 2021 (provisional: -5.9%).
Methodological note:
The differing comparative periods must be taken into account in all press releases on short-term indicators. Short-term economic monitoring focuses on comparisons with the previous month or previous quarter. These reflect short-term economic trends. A calendar adjusted comparison with the previous year is intended to offer a long-term comparison of levels and is independent of seasonal fluctuations. Due to strong temporary decreases and increases during the current coronavirus crisis, the results of month-on-month/quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year comparisons may differ considerably. To enable a direct comparison with the pre-crisis level, all press releases on short-term indicators available in seasonally adjusted form will, for the time being, also include a comparison with February 2020 or the 4th quarter of 2019.
The data on new orders and on turnover are based on the volume index of manufacturing, calendar and seasonally adjusted by means of the X13 JDemetra+ method.
New orders and turnover are covered and evaluated in accordance with the Classification of Economic Activities, 2008 edition (WZ 2008). New orders are covered only in selected branches of manufacturing.
Detailed data and long time series are available from the GENESIS-Online database: indices of new orders (42151-0004) and indices of new orders excluding large-scale orders (42151-0008) and turnover indices (42152-0004).
Crisis Monitor enables comparison between corona crisis and financial/economic crisis
The index of new orders is also part of the “Crisis Monitor“ (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the corona crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009. The “Crisis monitor” complements the “Corona statistic“ webpage, which has provided statistical information on the economic and social consequences of the corona pandemic.