Germany sees surprise drop in factory output in October

(ANSA-AFP) - FRANKFURT AM MAIN, DEC 6 - German factory output suffered a surprise drop in October, official data showed Friday, underlining the persistent troubles faced by Europe's biggest economy. Output fell by one percent month-on-month, according to seasonally adjusted data published by the Destatis agency. That follows a two-percent drop in September, according to adjusted figures released by Destatis. Analysts consulted by financial data firm FactSet had expected factory output to rebound in October, rising by one percent. "Instead of the widely expected recovery from the sharp drop in the previous month we have seen another setback," said Elmar Voelker, an analyst at the LBBW bank. A steep drop was recorded in October in energy production, which fell by 8.9 percent month-on-month.
    Likewise, in Germany's flagship auto industry, which has struggled in the face of high costs and foreign competition, output fell by 1.9 percent. (ANSA-AFP).