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.”
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.
The ifo Employment Barometer for companies in Germany slipped to 96.0 points in April, down from 96.3 in March. “A lack of orders is causing some companies to put the brakes on hiring,” ifo-expert Klaus Wohlrabe explains. “But service providers in some industries, such as data processing and tourism, are taking people on.”
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.
German manufacturers hardly have to struggle with material shortages anymore. In March, 10.2% of the companies surveyed reported shortages, down from 14.6% in February. “The supply of raw materials and intermediate products has recently seen significant improvement,” notes ifo-expert Klaus Wohlrabe.
Cancellations in German residential construction have increased, with 19.6% companies reporting canceled orders. In February, the figure was 17.7%. “The situation in residential construction remains tense,” explains ifo-expert Klaus Wohlrabe. “There aren’t enough new orders to offset the cancellations.”
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.
Sentiment in the German export industry is markedly brighter. The ifo Export Expectations rose to -1.4 points in March, up from -7.0 points in February. A reason for this ought to be a pick up in world trade in the coming months and German exporters‘ hope to benefit from this trend, concludes Klaus Wohlrabe, Head of Surveys at ifo.
The shortage of skilled workers among companies in Germany has eased somewhat. According to a recent survey, 36.3% of firms are currently suffering from a shortage of qualified workers, down from 38.7% in October 2023. A year ago, it was 43.6%. “The weakening economy is reducing demand for skilled workers in the short term,” explains Klaus Wohlrabe.