German industrial output gained 1.2% in May from the previous month, provisional figures released today by the economy ministry showed.
Analysts had expected a smaller increase of 0.8%, following a revised decline of 0.8% in April for Europe's largest economy.
The ministry had initially estimated the April drop at 0.6%.
Yesterday, the ministry said that industrial orders had gained a monthly 1.8% in May, with an 11.3% gain in domestic orders offsetting a decline of 5.8% from abroad.
The German economy is officially expected to expand by 2.6% this year following growth of 3.6% in 2010, but Chancellor Angela Merkel has indicated the forecast could be raised above 3.0% in the coming months.
In Britain, official data showed today that manufacturing rebounded in May by 1.8% on the month, only just compensating for a decline of 1.6% in April.
