View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Business
  2. Economics
22 June 2012updated 26 Sep 2015 6:16pm

Is Germany falling prey to the eurocrisis?

Signs emerge that the German economy is faltering

By Helen Robb

After months of Germany playing reluctant parent to Europe through its financial woes, there are emerging signs that the German economy may be taking a hit itself.

Business Insider has reported that the latest manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI), which measures major orders of goods and services by firms in manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries in the private sector, is showing a 36 month low, having fallen by 1.6 per cent this month.

This fall in Germany’s PMI measure has been accompanied by an increase in the Spanish Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), the EWP against the German ETF, the EWG. These measures show that Spain’s EWP has increased by 1 per cent whilst Germany’s has fallen by 1 per cent.

Joe Weisenthal also points out that the Ifo Business Climate Index, a key measure of business confidence in the country, fell:

The Index fell to 105.3, below the 105.6 that was expected, and well below last month’s 106.9.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Weisenthal explained this data as showing:

First of all, Germany’s economy, as we’ve been writing about is cracking (finally) as all of its export markets are deteriorating.

More importantly, there’s a growing sense that Germany is going to be on the hook, in some way or another, for the debts of its peers.

So even if the economy deteriorates, the Spanish market benefits from the fact that it may not go completely bust.

With the German economy begining to falter, he offers one final note of optimism:

An optimist might say that this is the best thing that could happen to Europe. After all, until Germany’s economy weakens, it really has no incentive to see any kind of change, let alone economic stimulus, in Europe.

That said, Matt Yglesias at Slate has doubts:

The fact that a nation specializing in capital goods exports is vulnerable to shocks from abroad was eminently predictable so I’m not super-keen on the theory that German prosperity accounts for its political class’ attitude toward the situation.

However the German public responds to the slow-down in its economy, these signs suggest that they may not be in a position to act as sole parent to Europe for much longer.

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU