Stemningen i den tyske bilindustri er fortsat pessimistisk, viser en undersøgelse fra Ifo-instituttet. Industrien betragter udviklingen som værre end under finanskrisen. Indekset for tilliden i bilindustrien steg kun lidt fra minus 87,2 til 84,4 point i maj. I april 2009 var indekset på minus 82,9 point. Efterspørgselen er lige så dårlig som i 1991.
Ifo Institute: Auto industry remains pessimistic
The German car industry remains pessimistic. This was the result of the Ifo Institute’s economic survey. The respondents still assess the current business situation worse than in the financial crisis 2009.
The index rose in May 2020 only to minus 84.4 points from minus 87.2 in April 2020. In April 2009 the index was minus 82.9 points. At least the expectations are not quite as pessimistic anymore. The corresponding index rose from minus 44.4 to minus 13.4 points.
“In the dark cellar, the industry climbs a few steps, but still does not see any light,” says Klaus Wohlrabe, head of the Ifo surveys. Demand was still as bad as it hadn’t been since 1991. The corresponding indicator rose to minus 78.7 points in May after minus 108.6 (seasonally adjusted) in April. In the Lehman crisis, the index was minus 78.6 in December 2008.
The companies also continued to assess their order backlog critically. The associated index rose only slightly in May to minus 65.2 points after minus 75.2 in April. The inventory in the finished goods warehouse is felt by many companies to be too large in May. The index rose from plus 40.8 in April to plus 42.5 points in May.
After all, the index of production expectations rose to plus 22.7 points in May, after minus 41.5 in April. More companies reported that they wanted to expand their currently very low production. The indicator of export expectations rose to minus 9.8 points in May after minus 65.3 in April. This means that from now on, companies expect their exports to shrink more slowly.
The problems are only really starting for the employees: The index for personnel planning fell in May to minus 49.6 points after minus 31.3 in April.
