The number of workers employed inthe West German industrial sector stagnated in the last quarter
of 1986 as a 50,000 increase in overall employment benefited
only the services branch, the DIW economic institute said.
    A DIW report added the general downturn in the economy
since last Autumn had had a negative effect on the willingness
of firms to take on workers. It referred to a marked downturn
in the number of workers taken on in the capital goods sector.
    New orders for manufacturing industry goods have mostly
fallen or stagnated in recent months, but data for February
finally showed a reversal of the trend, with a 1.9 pct rise.
 REUTER
