Overview
- The Federal Statistical Office reported a 23.0% seasonally and calendar‑adjusted rise in real order intake from the prior month, the largest monthly increase in the series that starts in 1991 and attributed to several large contracts.
- Civil engineering led the move with a month‑to‑month gain of 31.6% and a year‑on‑year rise of 36.4%, while building construction rose 12.4% month‑to‑month but fell 1.7% year‑on‑year, showing clear divergence between subsectors.
- A three‑month comparison that smooths short‑term swings showed order intake up 7.6% versus the prior quarter, indicating broader momentum beyond the single‑month spike but at a more moderate pace.
- Nominal and real figures diverge because of price effects: nominal order intake was 23.8% above the prior year while real order intake was +17.3%, and nominal revenue rose 10.1% to €10.9 billion while real revenue was up 4.9% year‑on‑year.
- Employment in the main construction sector rose modestly by 1.5% to about 548,000 people and the data cover firms with 20 or more employees, so large individual contracts can create big month‑to‑month swings before fuller effects reach jobs and output.