CURRENT PRESS RELEASES

By 2020, about 10% of Germany’s current number of approximately 2,000 clinics will probably shut down unless counter measures are taken. In the coming years, economic conditions will be difficult, particularly for small establishments operated by municipalities. Rural areas are likely to ...

In spring 2011 the world economy is in an upswing phase, especially due to the momentum in the emerging economies. Germany too is experiencing a strong upturn. The institutes expect that German GDP will increase this year by 2.8% and by 2.0% next year. For 2011 and 2012, an unemployment rate of 6.9% and 6.5%, respectively, is forecast. Growth forces will gradually shift towards domestic demand.…

RWI raised its economic growth forecasts for 2011 in comparison with December 2010 from 2.5% to 2.9%; growth of 2.4% is anticipated for 2012. Whereas the economy apparently got a good start in the new year, growth in production will probably level off slightly in the course of the year, with both impetus from foreign trade and domestic demand slowing down somewhat. Inflation, which continues to…

With a ruling handed down in June 2010, the German Federal Labour Court lifted the requirement for uniform collective agreements. The decision has, to date, led neither to more new occupational trade unions nor to increased labor disputes. Those are the findings of a recent RWI study commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Economics. Therefore, instead of returning to a legally defined system of…

RWI has improved by 0.3% its September forecast for the growth of real gross domestic product (GDP), to a total of 3.7% in 2010 and 2.5% in 2011. Yet it remains to be seen how the public debt crisis in the eurozone and the US real estate crisis will unfold. With shorter working hours largely phased out and the employment level continuing to rise, next year should see an increase in ...

The German steel industry has recovered rapidly from the deep slump in production during the recession. However, the force of the upswing has subsided noticeably. Accordingly, crude steel production is expected to stagnate in the course of this year as well as in the coming year. This is one of the findings of the RWI’s current steel report. Rising costs from more expensive raw materials and…

While the German economy is in a growth cycle, both production and the number of incoming orders have not yet reached the level seen prior to the financial crisis. RWI is forecasting a 3.4% increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) for 2010. The forecast, which is 1.5% higher than the forecast made in June 2010, primarily reflects...

In its sixth issue, the “Krankenhaus Rating Report” (Hospital Rating Report), first presented to the public at the 2010 Capital City Congress for Medicine and Health (Hauptstadtkongress 2010 - Medizin und Gesundheit) in Berlin, once again investigates the economic status of German hospitals. The collective study of the RWI, ADMED GmbH and HCB GmbH shows that the financial situation of the clinics…

The bans on smoking introduced in Germany’s federal states have resulted in short-term revenue losses for the restaurant and bar industry. Yet the decreases have been smaller than many proprietors feared. In addition to the smoking ban, the electronic age identification requirements in effect since 2007 have been the main reason for the drop in sales at cigarette machines. Those are the results of…

In spring 2010 the recovery of the world economy is progressing; the financial and economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 is gradually being overcome. However, the pace of expansion is very different in the individual regions of the world. In some newly industrialised countries, particularly in Asia, the pace is exceptionally fast, and there is even danger of overheating in some economies. On the other…