https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed German factory orders fell faster than expected in April, official data showed Monday, with little hope for a revival as the Iran war weighs on the economy. https://www.thelocal.de/20260608/german-factory-orders-drop-in-shadow-of-iran-war Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:43:36 +0200 german-factory-orders-drop-in-shadow-of-iran-war Almost half of European small and medium companies struggle to find workers with the skills they need but recruitment outside the EU remains “limited” and “too difficult”, a recent Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission had shown. https://www.thelocal.de/20260603/how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:49:22 +0200 how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu The finance ministers of the European Union's six biggest economies said Friday they had agreed on steps to better integrate financial markets and make investments flow seamlessly across the bloc. https://www.thelocal.de/20260530/biggest-eu-economies-agree-on-steps-for-financial-integration Sat, 30 May 2026 16:00:27 +0200 biggest-eu-economies-agree-on-steps-for-financial-integration Trump's abrupt announcement that the US would pull thousands of troops out of Germany came as a shock to Europe, but ultimately it may be a few small villages in Bavaria and the military personnel themselves that really feel the impact. https://www.thelocal.de/20260508/who-would-really-be-affected-by-the-removal-of-us-troops-from-germany Fri, 08 May 2026 16:36:57 +0200 who-would-really-be-affected-by-the-removal-of-us-troops-from-germany In recent months a number of Germany's largest companies have announced major job cuts affecting tens of thousands of workers. Here's a roundup of the businesses where workers will be affected. https://www.thelocal.de/20260128/which-major-german-companies-are-cutting-jobs-this-year Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:28:12 +0100 which-major-german-companies-are-cutting-jobs-this-year German premium carmaker BMW said Wednesday it expected trade tensions between the EU and United States to subside despite US President Donald Trump's threat to hike tariffs on European cars. https://www.thelocal.de/20260506/german-automaker-bmw-optimistic-despite-trumps-latest-tariff-threat Wed, 06 May 2026 15:03:29 +0200 german-automaker-bmw-optimistic-despite-trumps-latest-tariff-threat The European Union's mammoth trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur provisionally enters into force Friday, despite a pending court ruling on its legality. https://www.thelocal.de/20260501/blockbuster-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-enters-into-force Fri, 01 May 2026 09:52:06 +0200 blockbuster-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-enters-into-force Volkswagen's future is at risk without further cost-cuts, the company warned Thursday after profits plunged more than expected. https://www.thelocal.de/20260430/german-auto-giant-volkswagen-warns-of-more-cost-cuts-as-profits-plunge Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:17:28 +0200 german-auto-giant-volkswagen-warns-of-more-cost-cuts-as-profits-plunge Germany is set to continue taking on huge amounts of new debt each year for the foreseeable future as it continues to ramp up spending on defence and infrastructure. Meanwhile residents can expect a few new and increased consumption taxes. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/more-debt-new-taxes-what-is-in-germanys-budget-plan-for-2027 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:41:14 +0200 more-debt-new-taxes-what-is-in-germanys-budget-plan-for-2027 German business morale dropped in April to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic as the Middle East war hit Europe's top economy hard. https://www.thelocal.de/20260424/german-business-morale-falls-to-lowest-level-since-covid Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:13:59 +0200 german-business-morale-falls-to-lowest-level-since-covid Defence and security-related firms for the first time have their own section at the world's top industrial fair in Hanover this week -- a sign of the times as Germany embarks on a massive rearmament drive. https://www.thelocal.de/20260423/the-german-army-joins-hanover-trade-fair-as-defence-industry-booms Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:17:32 +0200 the-german-army-joins-hanover-trade-fair-as-defence-industry-booms The German government on Wednesday halved its growth forecast for this year as the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war hammers Europe's biggest economy. https://www.thelocal.de/20260422/germany-halves-2026-growth-forecast-on-iran-war-fallout Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:18:23 +0200 germany-halves-2026-growth-forecast-on-iran-war-fallout Humanoid robots were on full display at an industry trade fair in Hanover this week. Chancellor Merz endorsed AI technologies as key to reviving German industry, but China still dominates the sector. https://www.thelocal.de/20260422/ai-powered-robots-offer-new-hope-to-german-factories Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:47:34 +0200 ai-powered-robots-offer-new-hope-to-german-factories German investor morale slid to its lowest level in over three years in April, a survey showed Tuesday, as the Middle East war threatens to snuff out a tentative recovery in Europe's top economy. https://www.thelocal.de/20260421/german-investor-morale-lowest-in-over-three-years-amid-iran-war-fallout Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:51:16 +0200 german-investor-morale-lowest-in-over-three-years-amid-iran-war-fallout German exports rebounded more strongly than expected in February, official data showed Thursday, but there was a surprise slump in industrial production. https://www.thelocal.de/20260409/german-exports-were-up-in-february-but-industrial-output-fell Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:43:01 +0200 german-exports-were-up-in-february-but-industrial-output-fell Germany's top economic institutes have slashed its growth forecast and warned about a notable increase in consumer prices. So how much inflation is expected and what will the government do about it? https://www.thelocal.de/20260401/how-much-will-prices-rise-in-germany-as-impact-of-middle-east-war-deepens Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:49:46 +0200 how-much-will-prices-rise-in-germany-as-impact-of-middle-east-war-deepens Increased German government debt spending designed to boost infrastructure investment is being misused, economists charged Tuesday, warning that Berlin risked wasting a chance to revive its moribund economy. https://www.thelocal.de/20260317/economists-warn-german-government-is-misusing-investment-spending Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:00:33 +0100 economists-warn-german-government-is-misusing-investment-spending Germany's energy-hungry industries are sounding the alarm about the devastating impacts of the Middle East war as companies battle problems from surging power costs to snarled supply chains. https://www.thelocal.de/20260313/mideast-war-plunges-german-industry-into-crisis Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:12:39 +0100 mideast-war-plunges-german-industry-into-crisis The surge in energy prices triggered by the Middle East war will slow the struggling German economy's recovery, an economic institute warned Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260312/mideast-war-to-brake-germanys-economic-recovery Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:50:33 +0100 mideast-war-to-brake-germanys-economic-recovery The number of Germans in employment is steadily falling as older workers retire. This makes foreign workers, including both skilled workers and working asylum seekers, increasingly important to the country's economy and social systems. https://www.thelocal.de/20260303/foreign-workers-increasing-in-all-sectors-in-germany-as-boomers-retire Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:43:38 +0100 foreign-workers-increasing-in-all-sectors-in-germany-as-boomers-retire