Team
The people behind the ifo Institute offer the very high level of expertise and experience needed to fulfill our research and service mandate.
EU Accession Country Workers Fill German Labor Market Gaps
Exactly 20 years after accession to the EU, approximately 820,000 workers from these ten countries are now employed in Germany. That accounts for 2.4% of the German workforce. “Contrary to the fears of many, this has not led to German workers being pushed out of the labor market,” notes Joachim Ragnitz, Managing Director of ifo Dresden.
Lack Of Orders Slows Down The German Economy
The order shortage in Germany has worsened and is an obstacle to the economy. In April, 39.5% of manufacturing companies reported a lack of orders, up from 36.9% in January. In the service sector, the proportion rose from 32.1% to 32.4%. “The lack of orders is hampering economic development in Germany,” explains Klaus Wohlrabe.
ifo Employment Barometer Rises
Companies in Germany are again looking to hire more staff. The ifo Employment Barometer rose to 96.3 points in March, up from 94.9 points in February. “Companies are currently more willing to hire because they are better able to assess the economic conditions,” explains Klaus Wohlrabe, Head of Surveys at ifo.
Business Climate in the German Chemical Industry Brightens
The business climate in Germany’s chemical industry improved in March, with the index rising to -10.5 points, up from minus 15.5 points in February. Especially business expectations improved sharply to -2.9 points, up from minus 14.9 points in February.
Business Climate Eastern Germany Rises a Second Time in a Row
The ifo Business Climate Index Eastern Germany rose considerably in April from 90.2 in March to 92.3 points. The eastern German companies surveyed provided assessments of their business situation that were somewhat better than the previous month, and they raised their business expectations substantially.
Parenthood Increases Inequality Between Women And Men In Germany
Inequality in the labor market between men and women in Germany is at its greatest when there are children involved, finds an international research group. Among 30-year-olds, mothers earn on average 70 to 80% less than fathers, whereas the difference is less than 5% for childless people of the same age.
ifo Business Climate Index Rises (April 2024)
Sentiment has improved at companies in Germany. The ifo Business Climate Index rose to 89.4 points in April, up from 87.9 points1 in March. This is its third consecutive rise. Companies were more satisfied with their current business. Their expectations also brightened. The economy is stabilizing, especially thanks to service providers.
Half Of Germany’s Residential Construction Companies Are Short On Orders
Residential construction in Germany is experiencing an order shortage. More than half the companies, 55.2%, in this industry reported a lack of orders in April. In March, the figure was 56.2%. “Housebuilders are looking for signs of hope,” notes Klaus Wohlrabe, “but there’s no end to the crisis in sight.”
Eastern Germany Hit Harder By The Skills Shortage
Companies in eastern Germany are more affected by the shortage of skilled workers than in the rest of the country, as new results from the ifo Business Survey show. 42.1% of companies in eastern Germany stated that their business was affected by a lack of skilled personnel. The figure for Germany as a whole was 36.3%.
ifo Business Climate Index Falls (December 2023)
Sentiment in German business has clouded over. The ifo Business Climate Index fell to 86.4 points in December, down from 87.2 points (seasonally adjusted) in November. Companies were less satisfied with their current business. They were also more skeptical about the first half of 2024. As the year draws to a close, the German economy remains weak.
Business Climate in Germany’s Chemical Industry Improved
The business climate in Germany’s chemical industry improved in April, finds the latest ifo survey. The index rose to -6.0 points, up from -10.1 in March. “The chemical industry is somewhat more confident about the coming months,” notes ifo-expert Anna Wolf.
Uncertainty Dampens The Mood Of The Self-Employed In Germany
Uncertainty among the self-employed in Germany has increased in March. Thus, the business climate for this segment has deteriorated with the index falling to -15.6 points, down from -14.6 points in February. “Contrary to the situation in the other sectors of the economy, the self-employed are experiencing increasing doubt,” explains Katrin Demmelhuber.
ifo Economic Forecast Spring 2024: German Economy Paralyzed
The ifo Institute has reduced its growth forecast for the current year to 0.2%, down from 0.7% in January and 0.9% in December. But for next year, it raised its growth estimate by 0.2 percentage points to 1.5%.
Germany Only In The Middle Of The Pack
Germany’s current attractiveness as a location for homegrown companies ranks only in the middle among its European peers. When asked to rate Germany’s attractiveness as a business location, the experts there awarded it 61.3 points out of a possible 100. Austria achieved 72.4 points, while Switzerland scored 72.6 points.
German Export Expectations Fall
Sentiment in the German export industry has clouded over a little. The ifo Export Expectations fell to -2.0 points in April, down from -1.2 in March. “The export economy lacks momentum at present. While the global economy offers many good prospects for growth, these aren’t yet being reflected in additional orders”, explains ifo-expert Klaus Wohlrabe.
Educational Opportunities Differ Markedly Between Germany’s Federal States
The educational opportunities of children and young people in Germany differ significantly between the federal states. An unfavorable family background has the least negative impact on children in Berlin, 53.8%, and Brandenburg, 52.8%. Nationwide, the figure is 44.6%. At the lower end are Saxony with 40.1 and Bavaria with 38.1%.
Joint Economic Forecast Spring Report 2024: German Economy Ailing
The five leading economic research institutes believe that the German economy is in trouble. In their spring report, they have revised their forecast for the current year significantly downward and now only expect economic output to grow by 0.1%.
European Cooperation Can Reduce Costs Of Climate Action By Billions by 2050
Joint energy and climate action policy in the EU could save European countries EUR 248 billion between 2024 and 2050, with Germany alone saving EUR 66 billion. “Joint climate action is always better than national climate action,” explains ifo-expert Mathias Mier.
Innovation in Germany and the EU - A Path of Strength?
Are we still innovative or have other countries long since left us behind? How do Germany and the EU compare internationally and what is needed for a successful innovation policy? Get to know more about these topics in the new issue of the ifo Schnelldienst 4/2024.
Sentiment In The German Automotive Industry Improves
The business climate in Germany’s automotive industry brightened again in April, rising to -1.5 points, up from -5.3 in March. “Companies in Germany’s automotive industry rate their current business situation as slightly better, but more importantly, their outlook once again turned much less pessimistic than in March,” explains ifo-expert Anita Wölfl.