In their spring report, the leading economic research institutes forecast an increase in gross domestic product of 3.7 percent in the current year and 3.9 percent in 2022. The renewed shutdown is delaying the economic recovery, but as soon as the risks of infection, particularly from vaccination, have been averted, a strong recovery will begin. The economy is likely to return to normal output levels ...
The EU Commission has approved Google's acquisition of the fitness tracker manufacturer Fitbit. Here is a statement from competition economist Tomaso Duso, Head of the Firms and Markets Department at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin):
With the Brexit negotiations now in their final days, it is crucial that the European Union break the impasse and secure a deal. If Europe cannot even forge an agreement to establish its long-term relationship with the United Kingdom, it will have little chance of becoming a global power in its own right.
This week, we will finally know whether a Brexit deal can be agreed. Whatever is decided, it ...
The corona pandemic leaves substantial marks in the German economy and its impact is more persistent than assumed in spring. In their autumn report, the leading German economic research institutes have revised their economic outlook downwards by roughly one percentage point for both this and next year. They now expect gross domestic product to fall by 5.4 percent in 2020 (previously -4.2%) and to grow ...
The deployment of a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19 will be central to lifting containment measures. In a bid to speed up vaccine deployment, governments are entering into ‘Advance Purchase Agreements’ (APAs) with vaccine companies to secure access to vaccine doses. We document and compare the vaccine procurement strategies of the US and the EU. Most notably, we find that both...
11.09.2020| Jan Malek, Melissa Newham, Jo Seldeslachts
Natural gas could play an increasing role in the German energy system following the coal exit decided in July 2020 by the German parliament. However, natural gas has no climate benefit compared to coal. What is more, Europe risks to become a battleground for the conflict between Russia and the United States. The construction of the Baltic Sea pipeline Nordstream 2 has set in motion a downward...
Already after the financial crisis in 2008/2009 there was a debate on whether elements aiming at sustainable development can be part of the stimulus packages and support the recovery of the economy. Despite the instinct of policy makers to prioritise battle-tested policies during a crisis, significant levels and different types of climate-friendly components were integrated in the 2009 stimulus...
11.05.2020| Olga Chiappinelli, Marius Clemens, Mats Kröger, Nils May, Karsten Neuhoff, Jörn Richstein, Xi Sun
To cushion the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, central banks have taken far-reaching monetary policy measures. The US Federal Reserve has lowered its interest rates and, like the European Central Bank, has expanded its bond purchase programs. However, it is questionable whether these measures are having the desired effect of calming the markets and supporting the real economy. It is...
27.04.2020| Kerstin Bernoth, Geraldine Dany-Knedlik, Anna Gibert
The coronavirus pandemic is triggering a severe recession in Germany. Economic output will shrink by 4.2 percent this year. This is what the leading economics research institutes expect in their spring report. For next year, they are forecasting a recovery and growth of 5.8 percent.
Gross domestic product is likely to have shrunk by 1.9 percent in the first quarter of 2020 alone. In the second quarter, ...
The coronavirus pandemic, which began in December 2019 and is currently spreading rapidly around the world, is having a noticeable impact on the economy and thus also on the real estate market. Since the measures to curb the spread are causing economic activities to decline massively, small and medium-sized companies in the service, hospitality, and transport sectors in particular, but the self...
Press release of the project group "Gemeinschaftsdiagnose": German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) – Member of the Leibniz Association, ifo Institute – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich in cooperation with the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), ...
DIW Berlin expects GDP growth of 0.9 percent for 2019 and 1.7 percent for 2020 – Overall picture remains unchanged: domestic economy is supporting growth, foreign business is subdued - Unemployment continuing to decline - Trade war poses serious risks for the German economy - Municipal finances in need of restructuring
Press release of the project group "Gemeinschaftsdiagnose": German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) – Member of the Leibniz Association, ifo Institute – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich in cooperation with the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), ...
According to DIW Berlin estimates, the German economy will continue its solid growth performance in 2019 and 2020. Overall, however, the economy is cooling noticeably and production capacity utilization is returning to normal. This is primarily due to the global economy weakening; it has been strained by China’s weakening economy, trade conflicts, and political uncertainties such as Brexit. The ...
The German and French economics ministers have introduced a Franco-German manifesto for a 21st century European industrial policy. Tomaso Duso, competition economist and head of the Firms and Markets Department at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), comments as follows: