Economic impacts
Statistics related to Covid-19
Here you will find important indicators of the economic development in Germany. The monthly statistics are continuously updated. We show the development from the global financial and economic crisis in 2008/09 to the most recent reference month. In addition, we examine the effects of the corona pandemic by means of indicators for selected economic branches.
Gross domestic product (GDP) / economic growth
The gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the most important economic indicators; it shows the short-term development of an economy. The GDP is a measure of the economic performance of a country over a certain period of time.
Gross domestic product as a short-term indicator
For more information please go to the theme page.
Long-term economic development in Germany
There have been seven recession phases in Germany’s post-war history from 1950 until now. For simplification, they can be identified as negative annual change rates of price-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP).
After a period of uninterrupted economic boom from 1950 with growth rates of up to 12.1%, the German economic miracle ended in 1967 with the first recession of the Federal Republic of Germany. The periods of growth which followed until German reunification were interrupted only by the recessions of 1975 and 1982 triggered by the two oil crises. When the wall had come down, the reunited Federal Republic of Germany experienced its first all-German recession in 1993. As a consequence of the second Gulf war, the world economy was pushed into a global recession, which reached Germany with some delay due to its special reunification situation. Another recession manifested itself in 2003 after the “dotcom bubble” had burst and due to the consequences of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. The greatest economic downturn since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany was the massive contraction of the gross domestic product of 5.7% in 2009 as part of the global financial and economic crisis.
In 2020, after a ten-year growth period, the German economy was again hit by a severe recession. The outbreak of the corona pandemic led to a decline in price-adjusted GDP of 4.6% at the end of the year.
The economic development in 2021 was also highly dependent on the corona pandemic. The price-adjusted GDP was 2.9% higher in 2021 than in 2020. Despite the continuing pandemic situation the German economy managed to recover somewhat from the sharp fall in 2020. The economic performance has not yet reached its pre-crisis level again, though.
Methodological notes on the chart
Due to conceptual and definitional differences, the results from 1950 to 1970 (former territory of the Federal Republic) are not fully comparable with the results from 1970 to 1991 (former territory of the Federal Republic) and those as from 1991 (Germany). The price-adjusted results for the period from 1950 to 1970 (former territory of the Federal Republic) have been calculated in prices of 1991. The results for the period from 1970 to 1991 (former territory of the Federal Republic) and the data as from 1991 (Germany) are shown as a chain-linked indeces. In the 2019 national accounts revision, the results for Germany were recalculated only back to 1991 and the data before 1991 remained unchanged.
Transport index - experimental data
The corona pandemic has clearly shown that politicians and society are strongly interested in economic indicators for which data are available rapidly. In this context, the Federal Statistical Office has created a transport index for its Experimental data (EXDAT) category as a new and rapidly available short-term indicator.
The transport index project aims to supplement the truck toll mileage index by the other modes of goods transport (air and rail, inland waterways and maritime transport) and provide an additional, even more comprehensive early indicator of short-term economic development.
Transport index
New and digital data sources were analysed for the purposes of the transport index and their suitability for the envisaged transport index (timeliness, availability and accuracy) was checked.
In view of the conflicting goals of timeliness and information content, indicators have been chosen to represent the road, rail, air and waterways modes of transport.
The rapid availability of the individual indicators for the various transport modes enables the monthly experimental calculation of the transport index 30 days after the end of the reference month at the latest and makes it possible to meet the timeliness target.
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Truck toll mileage index - experimental data
In its section “EXDAT - Experimental data”, the Federal Statistical Office has designed the truck toll mileage index as a rapidly available short-term indicator. The truck toll mileage index provides approximate indications of the development of industrial production in Germany at a very early stage. The index developed by the Federal Office for Goods Transport traces the development of the mileage of large trucks (with four or more axles) on German motorways. It is calculated from digital process data of the truck toll collection system and updated weekly on Thursdays. Presented as a time series of daily figures, the results provide a very up-to-date picture of mileage after five to twelve days.
Economic Branch Monitor
The Economic Branch Monitor regularly provides basic information for assessing the economic development in the automotive and electrical industries as well as the mechanical engineering and chemical industries.
Comparison between the automotive, electrical, mechanical engineering and chemical industries
Labour Market
The measures taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany are affecting both the provision of services and production of goods. Regarding people in employment, this often means short-time work (less or no working hours) and reduced income for an indefinite period. The Federal Government seeks to mitigate the consequences of the corona crisis for the labour market by providing easier access to short-time working benefits and other instruments. However, many people could lose their jobs anyway.
Development of the number of persons in employment
The number of persons in employment, which reflects the development of the German labour market, is an integral part of short-term statistics in the national accounts context.
More information on the specific labour market structures and the relevant measures taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic can be found here. Please also refer to our theme page for more detailed information regarding people in employment.
Methodological note
The pandemic measures of the second half of March have led to an increased uncertainty of the employment estimates. It should be noted that, according to the employment accounts, short-time workers are counted as persons in employment rather than unemployed persons.
Development of working hours and gross earnings
Increasing short-time work owing to the coronavirus pandemic has a significant impact on the development of both earnings and working hours in Germany, although short-time working benefits largely mitigate the income losses experienced by employees. The results of the quarterly survey of earnings show the following for the second and third quarter of 2020: it is the first time since the beginning of the time series that there has been a more than short-term decline in earnings of employees. Such an effect was not caused by the financial crisis of 2008/2009; the crisis led to stagnating earnings. In the fourth quarter of 2020, there is a slight recovery for earnings and working time trends in some industries as well as across the economy.
Viewed from a long-term perspective, and without consideration of the typical seasonal effects, there has been a positive trend in the average gross monthly earnings in the total economy since the beginning of the survey in 2007. At the same time, there has been a decline in the number of working hours.
More information on the labour market is provided by the Federal Employment Agency.
Manufacturing
The monthly indices of new orders, turnover and production in manufacturing are some of the most important indices when it comes to monitoring and analysing economic activity in Germany. We also monitor the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the number of hours worked and on the total of persons employed in manufacturing in Germany.
Index of new orders as a short-term economic indicator
The index of new orders measures the monthly development of the volume of incoming orders in selected economic branches of industry.
The indices shown here have been adjusted for calendar and seasonal fluctuations. This makes short-term trends and extraordinary developments more obvious.
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
Index of new orders by selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Index of turnover as a short-term economic indicator
The turnover index measures the monthly development of turnover in industry. Turnover comprises the total final invoice amounts (excl. turnover tax) for supplies and services provided to third parties. Supplies and services supplied to local units of the same enterprise are not considered.
The indices shown here have been adjusted for calendar and seasonal fluctuations. This makes short-term trends and extraordinary developments more obvious.
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
Index of turnover by selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Index of production as a short-term economic indicator
The production index measures the monthly output of industry in Germany. The indices shown here have been adjusted for calendar and seasonal fluctuations. This makes short-term trends and extraordinary developments more obvious.
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
Index of production by selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Stock of orders in manufacturing as a short-term economic indicator
For more information please go to the theme page.
Stock of orders in manufacturing by selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Hours worked and persons employed in manufacturing
For more information please go to the theme page.
Methodological notes
The hours worked comprise all hours actually worked (not the hours paid) by the persons employed (including apprentices).
The total of persons employed includes working proprietors and co-proprietors as well as unpaid family workers and all persons who have an employment relationship with the enterprise or local unit.
Hours worked and persons employed in selected branches of manufacturing
For more information please go to the theme page.
Methodological notes
The hours worked comprise all hours actually worked (not the hours paid) by the persons employed (including apprentices).
The total of persons employed includes working proprietors and co-proprietors as well as unpaid family workers and all persons who have an employment relationship with the enterprise or local unit.
Retail trade
On 22 March 2020, the Federation and the Länder agreed to close a large number of stores in order to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Grocery shops remained open. A first easing of the restrictions was agreed on 15 April 2020. Small and medium-sized stores with a selling space of up to 800 square metres were allowed to reopen under strict conditions from 20 April.
Turnover in retail trade as a short-term economic indicator
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
Food retail turnover – Supermarkets, specialised retail trade
During the coronavirus crisis, markedly increased demand for some products has been observed in particular in food retailing since February 2020.
For more information please go to the theme page.
The figure shows the following economic branches based on the Classification of Economic Activities (2008 edition):
Food retailing, total: 4711-01
Supermarkets, self-service department stores: 4711
Specialised retail trade (e.g. butchers, bakers): 472
Non-food retail turnover – Pharmacies, petrol stations, textiles, do-it-yourself stores
Here, we monitor total non-food retail turnover and look at the monthly development in selected economic branches.
For more information please go to the theme page.
The figure shows the following economic branches based on the Classification of Economic Activities (2008 edition):
Non-food retailing, total 4719-01
Pharmacies, chemist's shops: 4773-01
Petrol stations: 473
Textiles, clothing, footwear: 4751-02
Household appliances, furniture, do-it-yourself stores: 4743-01
Cars: Volume of motor vehicle sales
For more information please go to the theme page.
The figure shows the following economic branch based on the Classification of Economic Activities (2008 edition):
WZ08-4511-01 Trade in motor vehicles with a total weight of 3.5 t or less, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles
Experimental data reflect current buying behaviour
Methodological note
The data are based on new data sources and methods. Digital point-of-sale data, also referred to as scanner data, were evaluated for this purpose. Evaluations of this kind are experimental in character and form part of a project on "EXDAT - Experimental data", which is undertaken by the Federal Statistical Office to test new data sources and methods. Selected project results are available at www.destatis.de/exdat.
Accommodation and food service activities
Since the middle of March, the measures taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic have especially affected the providers of food and beverage services and the hotels in Germany. On 18 March 2020, hotels, hostels and other accommodations had to close their doors to tourists everywhere in the country. Since 22 March, restaurant operators have not been allowed to host guests on their premises, while there has been permission to open for takeaway and delivery services. These restrictions have been gradually eased since 18 March.
Turnover in accommodation and food service activities
Accommodation and food service activities are broken down into accommodation, and food and beverage services. Accommodation comprises all establishments which, against payment, provide short-stay overnight accommodation. Accommodation units range widely from hotels to camping grounds. Food and beverage services include the provision of complete meals and drinks fit for immediate consumption. This applies to star-rated restaurants in the same way as to catering activities and corner pubs.
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
For more information please go to the theme page.
Foreign trade
The World Health Organization declared the global spread of the novel coronavirus a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has extreme consequences for the international trade in goods and thus the global economy. Some of Germany's major trading partners have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Learn more about the impact of Covid-19 on German exports and imports.
Short-term indicator: foreign trade balance
More short-term indicators and an extensive section with tables are available here.
Foreign trade: impact of the corona pandemic on trade as a whole
The foreign trade statistics is a key indicator of economic development and an indispensable source of information for balance of payments statistics, national accounts and short-term economic analysis. The German economy is highly export-oriented and therefore export dependent, but also relies on imports due to the internationalisation of production processes.
Since the turn of the millennium, German foreign trade has clearly been on an upward path except for 2008/2009, the years in which the global financial and economic crisis caused a slump also in German commercial transactions. It took exports and imports until 2011 to exceed their pre-crisis level.
China, United States: trade with countries outside Europe hit hard by the pandemic
The impact of the corona pandemic on China’s economy has brought Germany’s trade relations with the People’s Republic of China into the public focus. China is very important when it comes to imports of producer and consumer goods. It was the country from which the most goods were imported in 2019. In terms of the total foreign trade volume, China was Germany’s most important trading partner for the fourth year in a row.
In 2019 and the years before, the most important destination of German exports were the United States, which like China is one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic.
France, Spain, Italy: trade with countries affected strongly by the pandemic
Italy, Spain and France have also been hit hard by the spread of the novel coronavirus. In addition, severe travel restrictions and border controls within the European Union have an impact on the trade in goods.
Consequences of the pandemic for selected trading goods
Here we monitor imports and exports of Germany’s major trading goods and show their monthly development.
In 2019, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers were Germany's most important export goods. Machinery and chemical products ranked second and third.
Looking at imports, Germany’s most important trading goods also were motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, followed by computer, electronic and optical products, and machinery.
Prices
The Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on financial markets and the economy worldwide. Here we show the development of the price indices that play an important role in assessing overall economic development.
Overview of price trends: foreign trade prices, producer prices, consumer prices, selling prices in wholesale trade
Producer prices in selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Import and export prices in selected branches
For more information please go to the theme page.
Loan agreements of the credit services sector and information regarding online transactions - experimental data
The information provided here is based on data on the weekly changes in online transactions and new loan or mortgage agreements, supplied by information service providers. The results show changes in the nominal data (without calendar adjustment) compared with the same week of the previous year. These experimental results show changes in nominal data compared with the relevant week of the previous year without calendar adjustment.
Online transactions
The corona pandemic has clearly shown that politicians and society are strongly interested in economic indicators for which data are available rapidly. In this context, the Federal Statistical Office has developed rapidly available weekly indicators based on data from information providers. They are published in its section "EXDAT - Experimental data".
Before a purchase on account is approved by a mail order company, a payment account is created by a payment service provider or an online service (including streaming) is activated, the identity and creditworthiness of the person concerned is verified. This figure shows the development of the number of the relevant checks based on the data from information service providers.
New loan agreements
The corona pandemic has clearly shown that politicians and society are strongly interested in economic indicators for which data are available rapidly. In this context, the Federal Statistical Office has developed rapidly available weekly indicators based on data from information providers. They are published in its section "EXDAT - Experimental data".
This figure shows the development of new loan agreements concluded with private customers. Here, special attention is paid to the new loan agreements submitted by credit institutions to information service providers. The number of new loan agreements is an indicator of the trade with private customers.
New mortgage agreements
The corona pandemic has clearly shown that politicians and society are strongly interested in economic indicators for which data are available rapidly. In this context, the Federal Statistical Office has developed rapidly available weekly indicators based on data from information providers. They are published in its section "EXDAT - Experimental data".
This figure shows how many mortgage agreements were concluded with private customers. The new mortgage agreements are an indicator of activity in the real property sector. Here, special consideration is given to the new mortgages submitted by credit institutions, building societies, etc.--etcetera to information service providers.
Insolvency proceedings
Many businesses are in financial difficulties because of the measures taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. To show current developments at an early stage, the Federal Statistical Office for the first time produces and releases provisional data on requests for normal insolvency proceedings filed in Germany.
Insolvency proceedings
For this purpose, the website Insolvenzbekanntmachungen.de operated by the Ministry of Justice of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia is evaluated, which receives data on insolvency proceedings from the insolvency courts in Germany and publishes them on a daily basis. To be able to provide the data sooner, we do not subject them to the usual official quality assurance procedures so that they are experimental in character.
30% of the insolvency proceedings in Germany are normal insolvency proceedings, contained are all proceedings of businesses (roughly 55%). Economically active persons are also included. These are, among others, the personally liable partners of a general partnership (oHG), the majority shareholders of a corporation, and formerly self-employed persons whose financial situation is regarded as unclear.
- June 13, 2022: Requests for normal business insolvency in May 2022 up 8.4% on the previous month
- May 11, 2022: Requests for normal business insolvency in April 2022 down 20.8% on previous month
- April 14, 2022: Requests for normal business insolvency in March 2022 up 27.0% on the previous month
- March 10, 2022: Requests for normal business insolvency in February 2022 up 4.2% on previous month
- February 10, 2022: Requests for normal business insolvency in January 2022 down 17.2% on previous month
- January 11, 2022: Business insolvencies in October 2021: -2.7% on the same month a year earlier
- December 10, 2021: Business insolvencies from January to September 2021: -14.5% on the same period a year earlier
- November 12, 2021: Business insolvencies in August 2021: -2.1% on the same month a year earlier
- October 12, 2021: July 2021: business insolvencies down 12.3% on July 2020
- September 10, 2021: Business insolvencies down 17.7% in the 1st half of 2021
- August 10, 2021: May 2021: business insolvencies down 25.8% on May 2020
- July 13, 2021: April 2021: business insolvencies down 9.0% on April 2020
- June 10, 2021: 1st quarter of 2021: business insolvencies down 19.7% year on year
Air transport
Thousands of flights have been cancelled and in some cases complete fleets are grounded - the corona crisis affects global air transport to an unprecedented extent. Germany is a hub for international air transport. This does not only apply to direct flights but also to international transfer traffic at German airports.
Development of the numbers of air passengers at German airports
The total number of air passengers comprises all passengers who arrive at or depart from the major German airports. In addition to the total number, we consider the numbers of embarking and disembarking passengers in order to examine the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on air transport.
For more information please go to the theme page.
China, United States: the impact of the corona pandemic on air transport
The People's Republic of China, especially the Hubei province, was the first where the spread of the Covid-19 respiratory disease led to stricter entry checks, health checks and entry bans. China announced an entry ban on all foreign travellers with effect from 28 March 2020.
The USA, too, implemented an entry ban. Since 13 March 2020, people who stayed in Germany or a Schengen Area country in the 14 days prior to their arrival in the USA have not been allowed to enter the United States, with a few, narrowly defined exceptions.
For more information please go to the theme page.
Domestic and international traffic: air transport by flight destination
Growing prosperity, attractive travel destinations, liberal travel agreements and the increasing globalisation have repeatedly resulted in record levels of passengers in the past years. The number of departing air passengers grew in 2019 for the tenth year in a row. More than 124 million passengers boarded flights from the major German airports last year. The coronavirus pandemic has halted this trend.
For more information please go to the theme page.
Cash tax revenue
Against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, seasonally and calendar adjusted results are released and the current economic impact on cash tax revenue is shown.
Cash tax revenue
In spring 2020 double-digit decreases were recorded in the adjusted revenue from joint, federal and Länder taxes. In April 2022 the revenue from joint and Länder taxes was above the pre-crisis level of February 2020. Revenue from federal taxes, in contrast, was clearly below that level.
Against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, seasonally and calendar adjusted results have been published since July 2020. Seasonal adjustment eliminates seasonal variations which occur with similar intensity every year from the time series values. An example is the effects of typical seasonal fluctuations caused by the different payment deadlines applicable to the various tax types. This allows to distinguish pandemic-related developments from such fluctuations.
The measures taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic affected especially the adjusted revenue from aviation tax, beer tax and energy tax. Revenue from aviation tax was again below the pre-crisis level of February 2020 in April 2022.
For more information please go to the tax revenue theme page.
