Eurozone orders continue to fall

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} New industrial orders in eurozone countries fell by over five percent in December, the fifth consecutive monthly decline, according to figures released by the European Union.   Orders were down 22.3 percent compared with December 2007, with machinery and electronic equipment as the main casualties, although all major industry sectors reported drops in demand, according to Eurostat.   The figures relate to the 15 nations which used the euro in December. Slovakia became the bloc's 16th member in January.   In Germany, corporate confidence is at its lowest since 1990. The Ifo economic research institute said its German business climate index, based on a monthly poll of about 7,000 firms, fell to 82.6 in February from 83.0 in January, on deepening gloom about the state of the global economy.   The European nationsÔÇÖ efforts to work together to seek a solution to the crisis have been beset by accusations of protectionism and differences in opinion over economic stimulus packages.   *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *