Mumbai, Aug. 1 -- Output rose for a fifth straight month across the German manufacturing sector during July, the latest HCOB PMI survey showed. However, the upturn lost momentum as firms reported slower increases in both new orders and export sales.
More positively, the pace of job losses eased considerably, to show the weakest fall in factory employment for almost two years. Goods producers remained relatively optimistic about growth prospects in the year ahead, although the degree of confidence was down slightly from June's recent high.
On the price front, German manufacturers reported a further - albeit slower - drop in input costs, citing a lack of pricing power among suppliers and the influence of a strong euro.
Competitive pressure...