Business Expectations in Germany’s Chemical Industry Take a Dip
The ifo Business Climate in Germany’s chemical industry worsened slightly in May. The indicator fell to -11.1 points, down from -3.9 points* in April. Business expectations in particular took a major dip, with that indicator dropping to -4.1 points from +11.4 points in April. The majority of companies once again described their current situation as poor. “The clouds dampening the business climate hang over all the chemical industry’s key customer sectors: the Business Climate Index fell in manufacturing and in construction,” says ifo’s industry expert Anna Wolf.
However, there were also some bright spots in May. The supply of intermediate products continued to improve, with only 16.9% of companies still reporting bottlenecks. This is the lowest level since 2021. In addition, many more chemical companies have lowered their prices. Back in January, the majority of companies were planning price increases.
*Seasonally adjusted
