Germany's private sector growth slowed to a seven-month low in February primarily due to the weaker manufacturing expansion, flash data from Markit showed Monday.
The flash composite output index fell to 53.8 in February from 54.5 in January. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in the sector.
The services Purchasing Managers' Index edged up to 55.1 from 55 in January. It was expected to remain unchanged at 55.
On the other hand, the PMI for manufacturing declined to a 15-month low of 50.2 from 52.3 a month ago. Economists had forecast the score to drop slightly to 52.0.
"Looking across the two monitored sectors, it is evident that we currently have a two-speed economy," Oliver Kolodseike, an economist at Markit, said.
"The latest reading was the worst since November 2014 and indicative of a near-stagnation in the sector," the economist said.
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