Germany is loosening a regulatory measure designed to soften the blow of a property crisis, a sign that officials are somewhat less worried about fallout from the nation’s troubled real-estate industry, Reuters reported. BaFin, the German financial regulator, said on Wednesday that it would trim to 1% from 2% the amount it requires banks to hold as capital for residential mortgage loans. “The vulnerabilities on the German real estate market have declined significantly, but have not yet been fully eliminated,” BaFin said.
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German meats supplier Allgäu Fresh Foods (AAF) has filed for insolvency protection proceedings amid “increasing” cost pressures, GlobalData reported. In a statement announcing the move, the company said it submitted the application to the competent district court in Kempten on 22 April. The Feneberg Group subsidiary said cost and price pressures have been “increasing simultaneously” in this business segment for many years. “To ensure continued success in the future, the company must implement extensive restructuring.
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Reducing uncertainty is urgent for economies and businesses, German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies said on Wednesday, talking about negotiations on trade tariffs with the United States, Reuters reported. "The longer we wait for an agreement, the longer we let the uncertainty (in) both of our economies linger," he said at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington. Germany was the only member of the Group of Seven advanced economies that failed to grow for the last two years, and the tariffs announced by U.S.
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CPU cooler maker Scythe may be in deep trouble, as reports suggest the company’s EU division is potentially on the verge of shutting down, TomsHardware.com reported. According to German tech portal Computer Base, CPU coolers from the manufacturer have been in short supply. The primary reason given is that the company's EU division has run out of money and filed for insolvency. As noted by the Consumer Protection Forum, on April 17, 2025, the district court in Reinbek, Germany, issued a "provisional insolvency administration" for Scythe EU GmbH.
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Business activity in Germany's private sector has contracted this month, hurt by service sector woes and trade-related uncertainty, although manufacturers are showing some resilience, a survey showed on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The HCOB German flash composite Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by S&P Global, fell to 49.7 in April from 51.3 in March, its lowest point since December and back below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction.
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German affiliate network belboon GmbH has filed for bankruptcy, according to multiple reports from clients and a ruling from the Nuremberg District Court, Hello Partner reported. Established in 2002, belboon has grown over the years to become one of the leading affiliate networks in the German-speaking market and has expanded its presence internationally, including in the U.K., Spain, Italy, France and the Nordics. But now, in a move described as “surprising,” the Berlin-based network has filed for bankruptcy.

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Germany’s economy is likely to be more or less stagnant in 2025 after shrinking for two years, and the impact of U.S. tariffs could weigh down an already unimpressive showing, leading think tanks forecast Thursday, the Associated Press reported. Germany has Europe’s biggest economy and is the 27-nation European Union’s most populous member. Five economic institutes said in a regular update that they expect minimal growth of 0.1% this year — down from the 0.8% they forecast in September. They predicted growth of 1.3% in 2026.

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German economic institutes have cut their forecast for this year to 0.1% growth from the 0.8% growth expected in September, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the revision does not include yet the latest tariffs announced by the United States. Germany was the only G7 economy that failed to grow for the last two years. The tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will deal a major blow to Europe's biggest economy, possibly putting it on track for a third year of recession for the first time in history.

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The tariffs announced by the United States will deal a major blow to the German economy, delaying a recovery and possibly putting Europe's biggest economy on track for a third year of recession for the first time in history, Reuters reported. Germany, the biggest trading partner of the United States, had a trade surplus of a record 70 billion euros with the U.S. in 2024. An export-oriented nation, Germany will be the biggest European loser in a trade war.
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German chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz warned that international stock and bond markets could deteriorate further following the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff regime, in a statement to Reuters on Monday, Reuters reported. "The situation on the international equity and bond markets is dramatic and threatens to deteriorate further. It is therefore more urgent than ever for Germany to restore its international competitiveness as quickly as possible," Merz said in an emailed statement.
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