Wholesaling (east):
Improved expectations

In eastern German wholesaling, the surveyed firms were not completely satisfied with the current situation, but scepticism with respect to future developments has nearly vanished. Since inventory pressure has also weakened noticeably, a reduction of orders seems unnecessary. According to the survey responses, prices are more likely to be raised in eastern Germany than in the west. The share of firms that expect a decline in employee numbers increased in both survey areas, amounting to 16% on balance in western Germany and 13% in eastern Germany, which was as high as twelve months ago.