German manufacturers unexpectedly saw demand decline in May, suggesting an uneven start to the country’s economic recovery. Orders fell 3.7%, worse than all estimates in a Bloomberg survey. The Economy Ministry said the slump was driven by weak export demand for cars following a steep rise the previous month. Domestic orders rose 0.9%. German companies are battling with unprecedented supply-chain problems as a result of a sudden surge in global activity following the end of coronavirus lockdowns, a trend which is also driving up prices amid competition for inputs and raw materials. While some of those bottlenecks may have started to ease , it’s likely to take time for disruptions to pass. Meanwhile, the country’s service sector is bolstering momentum after widespread re-openings of restaurants, shops, and cultural venues. Business confidence climbed to the strongest in more than two years and the number of workers on state wage support […]