Orders for Germany’s machine tools fell by 19% versus the year-earlier period, according to the country’s association of machine tool builders VDW. It said domestic orders dropped 21%, and orders from abroad slid 18%.

VDW Executive Director Wilfried Schäfer explained that the market continues to remain soft. “Demand for machine tools is still lacking momentum.”

He noted that the weak start to the year signals a perceptible degree of scepticism, including among mid-tier customers in Germany.