德国7月工厂订单意外骤降2.9%，经济复苏前景蒙尘

Group 1 - Germany's factory orders unexpectedly declined by 2.9% in July, the largest drop since January, undermining optimism for a quick recovery from a three-year recession [1] - Economists had predicted a 0.5% increase in demand, but excluding large orders, demand was expected to grow by 0.7% [1] - The German Federal Statistical Office indicated that high uncertainty in the trade environment and ongoing geopolitical risks are the main reasons for the volatile order trends [1] Group 2 - The chemical industry in Germany faced severe challenges, with the capacity utilization rate at only 72% in the second quarter, the lowest in over 30 years [2] - Several research institutions have downgraded their economic growth forecasts for Germany in 2025, estimating growth between 0.1% and 0.2% [2] - However, due to increased government spending and interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank, a recovery in the German economy is expected next year, with a projected growth of 1.4% [2]