Germany’s economy contracted more sharply in the spring than initially thought, revised figures from the Federal Statistical Office showed, as the country continues to search for a sign of a turnaround that Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised in May.

GDP fell 0.3 percent in the second quarter compared with the previous three months — much sharper than the initially reported decline of 0.1 percent. That completely reverses the gain of the first quarter and leaves GDP a meager 0.2 percent up on the year.

The revision was due to sluggish industrial output and construction activity, both of which underperformed expectations in June. Consumer spending was also revised downward after fresh data from the hospitality sector painted a gloomier picture.

The new figures underline the extreme volatility in short-term economic data caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. Gross domestic product had risen in Germany by a respectable 0.3 percent in the first quarter as exporters rushed to ship their products to the U.S. before his threatened import tariffs took effect. However, that has merely served to skew activity, which has since reverted to a weaker underlying trend.

The numbers come a day after more up-to-date business surveys suggested that private-sector activity had picked up again in the two months since the end of the quarter.

Merz said his hopes Germany will “feel already this summer that things are slowly changing for the better.” German businesses and investors had high hopes that a change in government, ending constant infighting of the previous coalition, would offer more certainty and unlock growth opportunities.

Today’s data shows that at least until June little progress as been made.