Macroeconomics

With Q1 GDP growth revised to -0.3% we now expect annual GDP to shrink by 0.3% in 2023. With the expected US recession weighing on German economic momentum towards year end we have cut our annual forecast for GDP growth in 2024 to 0.5% from 1.0%. Meanwhile, the energy transition policy is putting strains on government cohesion, as can be seen from the failure to agree on a piece of climate legislation this week. Spending pressures and debt-brake limits add to tensions. Still, none of the three ruling parties has an incentive to trigger early elections. [more]

The new edition of our Germany: Economic Chartbook provides an overview of key data on current economic developments. The winter dip in the German economy has not been as severe as feared. Nevertheless, the picture at the current margin is rather divergent. While headline inflation is likely to subside further, core inflation might prove sticky. Private household demand is still under pressure, despite strong inflation-related one-off payments. Corporate lending slows after a long boom. Overall, we expect only a shallow recovery for the rest of the year, so German GDP is likely to stagnate on average in 2023. Last but not least, we also update you on our recent thematic research on the German housing market, progress with the energy transition and the German position on the recent EU fiscal rules proposal. [more]

Brett Ryan, senior US economist discusses his key take-aways. [more]

The German economy – one year after. With surprisingly strong hard data for January, chances are rising that GDP might be saved from another decline in Q1. Although not yet our baseline call, this would prevent Germany from going through a technical recession. However, still heightened uncertainty and real income losses due to high inflation will likely keep investment spending and private consumption flatlining in the first half of the year. Hence, we maintain our 0% forecast for 2023 German GDP growth, although upside risks have increased since the start of the year. [more]

With our new German Economic Chartbook, we take the pulse of the German economy, both from a cyclical and a structural perspective. What better time for its launch than the upward revision to our 2023 forecast. We now expect only a mild technical recession in the winter half-year, so annual GDP should move sideways rather than contract. The abating energy price shock has also prompted a downward revision to our inflation forecast, although we remain concerned about wage dynamics and their impact on core inflation, given the increasingly structural tightness in the labour market. Still, the resulting loss of real purchasing power will prevent private consumption from boosting growth as its did in 2022, when the normalisation of the savings rate more than offset the decline in real disposable income. [more]

We look at the expected recession in the winter half-year 2022/23 and the onset of recovery, how inflation will peak, while the labor market loses momentum and private consumption is hit by the loss of purchasing power. Construction and Capex spending are set to deteriorate. Fiscal policy continues to lean against the headwinds but should normalize somewhat. Loan growth, both with corporates and private households, may slow substantially. In a medium-term perspective, we discuss risks for the manufacturing industry and Germany’s geopolitical and competitive position. [more]

Semiconductors rank first as the most traded goods in global trade statistics in 2020, representing 15% of total global trade in goods. Before 2015, they were surpassed by computers and crude oil, based on the HS4 categorization by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Prices for semiconductors have fallen dramatically and steadily since 1995, both in real and nominal terms. Our new Trade Chain Complexity Index (TCC Index) allows for a comparison of the ratio of global trade with sales of various goods. For semiconductors, the TCC Index shows a peak of 7.2 for 2008. Since then, the complexity value has steadily decreased with a value of 5.9 for 2020. This trend might be the first sign of more cautious supply chain strategies in a challenging macro environment - and a downward trend for semiconductor globalization in a new era of digital sovereignty. [more]

GDP: Lower risk of gas shortages but real income shock will bite. Fully replenished gas storages and the larger than expected fiscal support for households suggest that the recession will not be as deep as expected a few weeks ago, although private households will have to cope with a real income shock. [more]

German economy: Out in the cold. The real income and confidence shock resulting from the NS1 shutoff as well as the negative real wealth shock of some EUR 1.5 tn will likely send private consumption into a tailspin in 2023. Surging uncertainty and the energy shock causing a slump in competitiveness and profits will put a brake on corporate investment spending, in our opinion. The three fiscal packages and a probable additional one will likely not prevent a GDP slump. Together with a weaker global outlook, we expect the loss in final domestic demand to result in a GDP drop of 3% to 4% in 2023, after an increase of around 1% in 2022. [more]

The German labour market held up well during the pandemic and even gained momentum from 2021 onwards. In the meantime, a shift in the employment structure took place that brings the shortage of skilled labour back into focus. [more]