Manufacturing (east):
Continued brightening

In eastern Germany the current business conditions improved to a now just satisfactory level, and the scepticism with regard to the outlook for coming half year faded away almost entirely. While the enterprises in western Germany now again place hopes on future export business, in the east there are currently no signs of a recovery of foreign demand. Production schedules in eastern Germany are slightly expansive but in western Germany occasional restrictions are still encountered. In both survey areas the participants expect weakening prices for the coming months. The general improvement has expectedly not yet affected the hiring plans of industrial firms - in both east and west further staff reductions are expected.