The mood of companies in Germany deteriorated in December 2024. This emerges from the current Ifo business climate index. The index fell to 84.7 points, after 85.6 points in November. The more pessimistic expectations of companies in particular would promote the negative development. The current situation, however, was assessed somewhat more positively. “The weakness of the German economy has become chronic,” says the Ifo Institute.
After a slight upward movement was recently recorded in trading, this was no longer the case at the end of the year. Companies became less satisfied with current business, while pessimism increased. The negative results were primarily observed in the wholesale sector, although the retail sector was also dissatisfied.