German Manufacturing: Plans Point to a Clear Increase in Investment in 2015

According to the results of the latest Ifo Investment Survey, in 2014 the German manufacturing sector increased its investment in nominal terms by 55 billion euros, or just over 3%. For 2015, the manufacturing sector plans to increase its investments by 7%.The main objective of the investment activities in 2014, and also in 2015, was capacity expansion, primarily with the intention of expanding or altering the existing production programme. The second reason was for replacements, while the rationalisation motive tended to play a subordinate role overall.