German Manufacturing: Clear Investment Increases Planned

According to the latest results of the ifo Investment Survey, German manufacturing firms plan to increase their investments in new machinery and buildings by around 9% in nominal terms in 2018. For 2017, the responses of the survey participants showed an increase of almost 4%. Thus, investment development in the manufacturing sector in 2017 remained well behind the original plans. Investment in expansion and investment in replacement procurement dominate in the two years under consideration, 2017 and 2018. With a share of around one-ninth, rationalisation Investments only play a minor role compared to the 1990s.