FRANKFURT: German industrial orders plummeted by 3.4 percent in December from the previous month, data released on Monday by the economy ministry showed, partially erasing a jump of 5.2 percent November.
Economists had expected a steep drop following a large number of big-ticket orders in November, but it nonetheless suggested that Europe's biggest economy was coming off the boil following record growth in 2010.
Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast a seasonally-adjusted monthly decline of 1.5 percent.
German domestic orders lost 2.4 percent owing to low demand for motor vehicles, while foreign orders were off by 4.2 percent, the ministry figures showed.
Within the 17-nation euro zone however, industrial orders gained 3.7 percent in December, rebounding from a drop of 1.6 percent the previous month.
The economy ministry also releases a two-month calculation designed to smooth out one-off events, and said it showed a gain of 4.4 percent in November and December compared with September-October.
On an annual basis, they gained 20.2 percent, the ministry noted.
A further breakdown of the numbers showed the biggest monthly drop was among orders from outside the euro zone, which fell by 8.9 percent, with those of investment goods used to make final products plunging by 15.5 percent.
The declines point to slowing global economic activity, which in Europe is expected owing in part to wide-spread austerity measures aimed at reining in excessive public deficits and debt.
The German government expects 2011 growth of 2.3 percent, down from 3.6 percent last year that represents the strongest rate since Germany was reunified in late 1990.
Economy ministry figures on industrial production in December are due on Tuesday.
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