Economy

German industrial output rises more than expected in August

Germany's industrial output beat analyst expectations in August, even after a separate report had shown a sharp drop in industrial orders.

The rise in output suggests German factories partly offset the weak demand seen in order data. It is an early sign that the industrial sector of the eurozone's largest economy may be stabilising after months of decline.

For beginners Industrial output is a key gauge of the real economy: its trend feeds into GDP and manufacturing employment, which is why investors watch it to judge the health of major export economies.