German Factory Orders Unexpectedly Declined in July

German factory orders unexpectedly fell in July as demand in the euro region weakened, indicating the recovery in Europe’s largest economy is losing momentum.

Orders, adjusted for seasonal swings and inflation, declined 2.2 percent from June, when they surged a revised 3.6 percent, the Economy Ministry in Berlin said today. That’s the biggest drop since February 2009. Economists forecast a 0.5 percent gain, according to the median of 40 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. From a year earlier, orders climbed 18 percent, when adjusted for working days.