German factory orders rise despite Greece, China effects

German industrial orders, a key measure of demand for goods in Europe's top economy, saw an unexpectedly strong increase in June, official data showed Thursday.

Buoyed by a surge in foreign demand, factory orders rose 2.0 percent month-on-month, according to seasonally adjusted figures published by the federal statistics office. Orders in May had fallen 0.2 percent.

Analysts polled by financial services firm FactSet had pencilled in a slightly bigger increase of 0.4 percent for June.

The strong growth came despite uncertainty stemming from the Greek debt crisis and volatility in China.

For the second quarter as a whole, industrial orders surged 3.0 percent compared to the first quarter, "with a clear upward trend".

"Germany industry is expected to stay on a path of moderate growth in the months to come," the ministry said.

The strength of demand for orders outside Europe, which soared 6.3 percent in June, was largely down to the weakness of the euro against the dollar, Bayern LB economist Stefan Kipar said.

He noted that the impact of developments in Greece and China had not weighed on German factory orders but warned that Europe's strongest economy was not immune to uncertainty, with orders from Germany itself falling 2.0 percent in June.