BERLIN (Reuters) - German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in March, posting the third consecutive monthly drop, data showed on Monday, in a sign that factories in Europe's largest economy will shift into a lower gear in the coming months.
Contracts for 'Made in Germany' goods decreased by 0.9 percent after a downwardly revised drop of 0.2 percent in the previous month, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed.
The reading undershot a Reuters poll of analysts who had predicted a 0.5 percent rise.
The economy ministry said that the sector had lost some momentum in the first quarter after an unusually strong performance in the second half of last year .
But despite the overall decline in the first three months of the year, the overall trend in industrial orders is pointing upwards, the ministry added.
(Reporting by Michael Nienaber,; Editing by Joseph Nasr)
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