Wholesaling (Germany):
Favourable business situation continues

In wholesaling the business situation improved only slightly. In industrial B2B slight weakening tendencies were observed, but the positive assessments still clearly predominate. Wholesalers were somewhat more reserved regarding the business outlook than they were the previous month. In durable consumer goods they ex-pect a clear expansion of business. Since excess inventories have been largely reduced, order plans are more frequently expansive. Prices could continue to rise, in the estimation of the surveyed firms, especially in industrial B2B and in food and beverages. Staff numbers could increase somewhat. In eastern German wholesaling the positive assessments of the business situation clearly increased, in contrast to the federal average. Previous-year turnover was surpassed and stocks have been cleared. Since the six-month outlook has also brightened, order plans have been corrected upwards considerably. Personnel is likely to go on increasing.