German industrial production jumps 4% in July

German industrial output rose by 4.0 percent in July from June, driven by increased demand in most sectors, provisional figures showed on Wednesday. In June, output had declined by 1.0 percent month-on-month. The late timing of the summer holidays in many regional states had a positive effect on the data, the Economy Ministry said in a statement. Output in the manufacturing sector expanded by 4.5 percent in July and by 3.2 percent in the construction sector. Energy sector production, on the other hand, was down by 1.0 percent. Taking June and July combined to help iron out short-term fluctuations, output rose by 1.5 percent compared with the preceding two months. The ministry said that overall industrial production "remains on a growth path", even if the latest data were distorted by the late timing of the holidays. "Despite increased risks, the outlook for output remains positive," the statment said.