German Factory Orders Slump Most Since 2009: Economy

German factory orders plunged the most since 2009, underlining the risk of a slowdown in Europe’s largest economy.

Orders, adjusted for seasonal swings and inflation, fell 5.7 percent in August, the Economy Ministry in Berlin said today. Economists predicted a 2.5 percent decline, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. The data are volatile, and the drop followed a 4.9 percent increase in July that was the most in more than a year. Orders fell 1.3 percent from a year earlier.