File photo shows a German worker assembling a car engine at a factory in Ingolstadt. <\/p>\n
Germany\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s industrial orders have dropped more than expected, highlighting the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s difficult struggle in recovering from a weak performance in winter and recession in the eurozone.\n<\/p>\n
The German Economics Ministry announced in new data released on Thursday that the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s industrial orders fell by 2.3 percent in April.\n<\/p>\n
\u201dThe German economy is unsteady. As long as the ailing euro zone countries are not back on their feet, this will likely remain the case,\u201d said economist Thomas Gitzel. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This new data came three days after the International Monetary Fund halved its economic growth forecast for Germany to 0.3 percent for 2013.<\/p>\n
The fund said the cut was the result of persistent uncertainty about the prospects for the eurozone\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s debt crisis that has affected Germany’s exports and investment.\n<\/p>\n
Europe plunged into financial crisis in early 2008. The worsening debt crisis has forced EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms, which have triggered incidents of social unrest and massive protests in many European countries.\n<\/p>\n
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