Incoming orders increased by 7.0 percent in October compared to the same month in 2011, the VDMA association said, with foreign orders rising by 11 percent and more than offsetting a one-percent decline in domestic orders.

Taking a three-month comparison to iron out short-term fluctuations, overall orders were up 2.0 percent in the period from August to October, with domestic orders down 11 percent, but foreign orders up 10 percent, VDMA calculated.