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Joint Custody Strengthens Families After Separations
When courts award joint custody rather than sole custody in contentious custody cases, fathers benefit financially and in terms of their health, and children benefit academically. Mothers do not suffer any measurable disadvantages as a result. This is shown by a new study from the ifo Institute based on Swedish court and register data. A detailed analysis appears in today’s issue of ifo Schnelldienst.
Confidence in Residential Construction Grows
Sentiment in residential construction in Germany improved significantly in August. The business climate rose from -29.0 to -22.7 points. That was due primarily to companies’ expectations: The indicator climbed from -35.6 to -23.3 points. However, the assessment of the current business situation remained unchanged, though it is still characterized by a certain degree of dissatisfaction. “Companies can increasingly see light at the end of the tunnel,” says Klaus Wohlrabe, Head of Surveys at ifo. “The rise in building permits is fueling hopes that the order situation will pick up in the coming months.”
Sentiment Among Retailers Very Subdued
The ifo Business Climate in Germany’s retail sector in August was -29.0 points and so virtually unchanged from July. The recovery that had been observed since May has thus been interrupted. Companies’ assessments of their current situation were worse than in July. “The sentiment among retailers remains very subdued. Many retailers have hardly benefited from the recovery in the economy as a whole so far,” notes ifo industry expert Patrick Höppner.
Top-Ökonomen warnen vor Marginalisierung Europas im internationalen KI-Wettbewerb und stellen neue Strategie vor
Eine Koalition der führenden Ökonomen, Politiker und KI-Experten Europas – darunter Nobelpreisträger Philippe Aghion und die frühere EU-Kommissarin Margrethe Vestager – warnt davor, dass Europa Gefahr läuft, unwiderruflich von einer Handvoll ausländischer Regierungen und Einzelpersonen abhängig zu werden, sollte in diesem Jahr nicht entschlossen gehandelt werden.
Behavioral Economics im Fokus: Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2026
Wie beeinflusst menschliches Verhalten wirtschaftliche Entscheidungen? Mit Fragen der Behavioral Economics beschäftigt sich die Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik vom 13. bis 16. September 2026 in Innsbruck. Zahlreiche Forschende des ifo Instituts sind mit eigenen Beiträgen vertreten.
Pension Splitting Makes Married Couples Worse Off
Mandatory pension splitting as a replacement for the widow’s pension would leave most married couples in Germany worse off financially. In June 2026, the German Pension Commission had called for a review of survivor benefits. “Even if one spouse benefits from pension splitting, the couple as a whole would lose out in almost all cases,” notes Marcel Thum, Director of ifo Dresden.
ifo Business Climate Rises (August 2026)
Sentiment among companies in Germany has increased. The ifo Business Climate Index rose to 88.8 points in August, up from 86.7 in July. Companies were more satisfied with their current situation, and they revised their expectations significantly upward. Uncertainty continued to decline. Despite another rise in energy prices, the German economy is recovering.
Research Data
Research data offered by the EBDC
The EBDC provides access to and documentation of numerous research datasets and, as an accredited research data repository, facilitates the archiving and secondary use of data.
ifo Annual Meeting 2026
On June 25, 2026, we will discuss the topic “Impetus for Germany: Is a New Business Model Growing or Is It Just the State That is Growing?” at the ifo Annual Meeting.
ifo Podcast and Explanatory Videos
ifo Podcast “Economy for All”
What moves the economy? The ifo Institute podcast focuses on the most important developments in economic research and economic policy. Every month, we talk to our experts about current events in business, science, and politics and provide background information on the ifo Institute’s latest research findings.
"We Explain Economics"
What fascinates our researchers about their work? What new results can they show? In our explanatory videos "We Explain Economics", we take a look at the current research landscape and prepare the results for the wider public.