In German industry, there are increasing signs that the weak phase is coming to an end.

In April, industrial companies recorded an increase in orders for the second month in a row. Orders in the manufacturing sector increased by 0.6 percent month-on-month, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced in Wiesbaden on Thursday. This growth follows a sharp increase in the previous month, when anticipatory effects in response to the announced US tariff increases drove up the number of orders.

Analysts were surprised by the renewed increase. They had expected fewer orders in April and, on average, projected a decline of 1.5 percent. However, the increase in March was revised slightly downward, to just 3.4 percent from the previous 3.6 percent.

Year-on-year, the development in April was also better than expected. The Federal Office reported an increase of 4.8 percent, while analysts had expected an increase of 3.9 percent.

The positive development is "primarily due to the significant increase in the manufacture of data processing equipment, electronic and optical products," Destatis reported. There were also increases in the so-called "other vehicle manufacturing," which includes orders for aircraft and military vehicles.

"However, given the persistently high level of trade policy uncertainty and the continued subdued business sentiment, it remains to be seen whether industrial demand can continue to grow overall in the course of the second quarter," the Federal Ministry of Economics said in a statement.