The “Trade Fair Index”: A New Indicator for Trade Fairs in Germany

The Ifo Institute, in cooperation with the Messe Frankfurt, has developed new economic key figures for consumer and investment goods trade fairs. The “Trade Fair Index”, which is composed of the “Trade Fair Consumer Index” and the “Trade Fair Investment Index”, establishes the economic condition of companies that exhibit their products at international consumer and investment goods trade fairs in Germany. The trade fair indices are based on data from the Ifo Business Survey. The first results show that exhibiting companies are in better shape. Small companies in particular, as well as medium-sized firms, benefit from participating in trade fairs.