“Kinder Statt Inder” Didn’t Work

February 27, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness Tags: Demographics, Economy, Employment, Germany, Immigration, India, Workers Leave a comment

A German politician’s unfortunate slip twenty years ago, “children instead of Indians,” certainly didn’t work.

Demographics can be a bitch.

Germany aims to ease visa process for India’s IT workers – Berlin wants to encourage information technology experts from India to come and work in Germany. The plan would be to make it easier for them to come to the country with their families.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that his government wants to ease the path for information technology experts from India to obtain work visas in Germany.

While Germany faces a shortfall in skilled worker numbers, India cannot always provide jobs for its large, young population.

More Engineers And Scientists Are On The Way

February 6, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hypocrisy Tags: Asylum Seekers, Borders, Demographics, Economy, EU, Europe, Germany, Immigration, Migrants, Refugees Leave a comment

Thanks to Germany’s clever immigration policy.

The avalanche Angela Merkel set off back in 2015 is finally starting to pay off!

Shortage of engineers, scientists threatens German industry – Germany’s homegrown population is declining, and with it the number of science and engineering students.

German engineering is known worldwide for its quality and innovation. But that brand is under threat. The number of students beginning university degrees in STEM fields — shorthand for science, technology, engineering, and math — fell 6% in just one year, according to a recent study from the nation’s federal statistics agency.

German Of The Day: Rezessionsängste

January 30, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: Economy, German, Germany, Language, Recession, Stock Market Leave a comment

That means recession fears.

German economy unexpectedly shrinks in Q4, reviving spectre of recession – The German economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter, data showed on Monday, a sign that Europe’s largest economy may be entering a much-predicted recession, though likely a shallower one than originally feared.

Gross domestic product decreased 0.2% quarter on quarter in adjusted terms, the federal statistics office said. A Reuters poll of analysts had forecast the economy would stagnate.

German Of The Day: Abschmieren

January 17, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Competitiveness, Economy, German, Germans, Germany, Language, Rankings Leave a comment

That means to slide or to crash.

Deutschland schmiert wirtschaftlich ab – Germany is sliding down the economic slope.

Economically, Germany can no longer keep up with the USA, Scandinavia and Western Europe.

According to a study by the “Stiftung Familienunternehmen” (Family Business Foundation), Germany is slipping dramatically in terms of competitiveness: among 21 industrialized nations, Germany now ranks only 18th!

Soaring Interest Rates, Weakening Economy, Record Inflation…

January 9, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: Economy, German, Germans, Germany, Inflation, Interest Rates, Investments, Real Estate Leave a comment

What’s not to like?

Oh, yeah. Commercial real estate is taking a dive now too.

German Real Estate Deals Plunged 50% in Fourth Quarter, BNP Says

Germany’s real estate market took a deep hit in the fourth quarter as investors shied away from deals on the back of soaring financing costs.

Total investments in the country’s commercial property sector only reached €9.9 billion ($10.6 billion) in the last three months of 2022, a decline of 50% compared with the five-year average for the period, according to a report released by BNP Paribas’ real estate unit on Monday. The development is largely due to soaring interest rates, a weakening economy and record inflation, it said.

Things Are Not Looking Good

December 27, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy Tags: Attitude, Business, Economy, German, Germans, Germany, Industry, Inflation, Recessions, Surveys Leave a comment

Because things are looking better.

Because once things start looking better, they can only get worse.

German businesses expect only mild recession as disruptions ease – German companies expect only a mild recession next year despite headwinds from the energy crisis, raw material shortages and a tepid global economy, a survey of major associations published by Reuters on Tuesday showed.

There have been growing signs that the German economy could stave off the worst of an economic downturn triggered by a plunge in energy supply from Russia after the Ukraine invasion.

Inflation to 11.3% in November from a high of 11.6% the month prior as energy prices eased. The German government has predicted the economy will grow by 1.4% this year and next year.

Is Germany Finally Waking Up?

November 9, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness Tags: China, Chips, Economy, Elmos, Europe, Germany, Takeovers Leave a comment

Probably not. But still. It’s starting to roll around a little in its sleep.

German economy ministry favours blocking Chinese takeover of Elmos’ chip production – Germany’s economy ministry has recommended to the cabinet that the government block the Chinese takeover of Elmos’ (ELGG.DE) chip factory, saying it would pose a threat to national security, ministry sources said on Tuesday.

German Of The Day: Abhängigkeit

November 5, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: China, Dependency, Economy, Energy, Germany, Russia Leave a comment

That means dependency.

You know, like Germany’s dependency on China? Ain’t no big deal, though. Their dependency on Russian energy worked out just fine, right?

Where would we be without China? There is hardly any other country Germany is more dependent upon than China.

German Of The Day: “Keine Deutsche Sonderwege”

October 27, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: Dependency, Economy, Energy Crisis, EU, EU Zone, France, German, Germany, Inflation, Language Leave a comment

That means no (more) Germany going it alone.

That’s a very popular political mantra here. You normally hear it right before Germany goes it alone again.

France and Germany’s relationship questioned as Scholz goes alone on policy – Germany has been criticized for approving a 200 billion euro ($200.2 billion) rescue package.

Fresh tensions between France and Germany are challenging their relationship at a time when their unity is critical for broader European policy in tackling the energy crisis.

The leaders of the two nations will meet in Paris on Wednesday, but this encounter almost got canceled.

German Of The Day: Arbeitsplatzabbau

October 25, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: Economy, Employment, Energy Crisis, Energy Dependency, Gas, German, Germany, Greens, Jobs, Language, Pipelines, Putin, Renewables Leave a comment

That means job cuts.

Energy crisis: Quarter of German companies ‘plan to cut jobs’ – In order to tackle rising energy prices, a quarter of German companies revealed in a new survey that they planned to cut jobs, among other cost saving measures.

Around 25 percent of German companies plan to axe jobs as a cost saving measure, according to a survey of 1,080 German firms led by the Munich-based Stiftung Familienunternehmen released on Monday.

Observing Hermann

“Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?”

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