Konjunktur aktuell: Aufschwung in Deutschland geht weiter – Krisenprävention und Krisenmanagement in Europa unter Reformdruck
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
2011
Abstract
We estimate that in 2010, the German GDP has expanded by 3.7%. In all probability, growth will continue in the two following years, with output rising by 2.3% in 2011 and by 1.7% in 2012. Thus, we see the recovery of the German economy after the Great Recession as a starting point for a strong upswing. In case the fiscal crisis of peripheral euro area countries intensified, however, or if confidence in the US dollar waned due to the extremely expansive policy in the US, expectations would quickly turn pessimistic. The key task for the European economic policy is improving its ability to manage and prevent financial and fiscal crises.
The recovery of the world economy continues. This is particularly true for the US, but for the European Union as well, in spite of drastic fiscal adjustment programs in Britain and Spain. In most of emerging markets economies, economic policy has been trying to dampen frothy upswings without damaging the high growth dynamics. As a consequence, growth slowed down in Asia after last spring. Leading indicators for China and India, however, point to an acceleration of economic activity during this winter. Neighboring economies, not least the Japanese, will soon benefit from higher exports.
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de-industrialisation and re-industrialisation. Is the East German industry a stability factor of regional economic development?
Gerhard Heimpold
Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (Hrsg.), 20 Jahre deutsche Einheit – Zwei Dekaden im Rückblick. Informationen zur Raumentwicklung, Heft 10/11,
2010
Abstract
The contribution analyses the development of the manufacturing sector in East German regions after 1990. The focal question is whether the manufacturing sector has evolved as a factor which contributes to stabilization of regional economic development. Though until 2008 – when the economic recession began – the manufacturing sector evolved as an engine of growth , the intra-industry structure of the manufacturing sector reveals a number of shortcomings, especially below average proportions of technology-driven industries and high-grade service activities. Further structural change will be needed.
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21.10.2010 • 60/2010
Kerstenetzky Award 2010 für Young Economists
Dipl.-Volkswirtin Katja Drechsel und Dipl.-Volkswirt Rolf Scheufele wurden bei der 30. CIRET-Konferenz vom 13. bis 16. Oktober 2010 in New York für ihre Arbeit zum Thema “Should we trust in Leading Indicators? – Evidence from the Recent Recession” mit dem Isaac Kerstenetzky Award 2010 für Young Economists (Honourable Mention) geehrt. Sie erhalten diese Aus-zeichnung auf Grundlage ihrer Arbeit zur Untersuchung der Prognosegüte von konjunkturellen Frühindikatoren in Deutschland in der Rezession 2008/2009.
Hans-Helmut Kotz
German Economy Recovers Surprisingly Quickly from Last Year’s Recession
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 9,
2010
Abstract
The German economy recovers surprisingly quickly from last year’s recession. For this year, we expect GDP to grow by 3.5%. Next year, when GDP growth should reach a rate of 2%, the general government deficit is likely to fall below the 3% mark of the Stability and Growth pact – if the government indeed realizes the stabilization program it decided on this summer. Unemployment will continue to decline.
We see three main causes for this favorable development: first, the German economy benefits strongly from the high growth dynamics in emerging markets, since German firms are well positioned for producing investment goods that are particularly sought-after in these countries. Second, growing demand for labor in Germany means that employment and labor income is on the rise. Partly, this is the reward for a long time of low wage rises that have made labor in Germany competitive again. Third, the expansive monetary policy in the euro area is particularly stimulating since here debt levels of private households and firms are moderate and therefore do not dampen the stimulating effects of low interest rates, as they do in many euro area partner countries with highly indebted private and public agents.
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Im Fokus: Polen in der globalen Finanz- und Konjunkturkrise – Realwirtschaft trotzt mit IWF-Unterstützung den Finanzmarktturbulenzen
Tobias Knedlik
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 4,
2010
Abstract
Poland’s economy resists turbulences on financial markets
Poland has been affected by the global financial crisis. However, developments in Poland deviated considerably from developments in other middle and eastern European countries. Risk premiums, as measured by credit default swaps, increased by less but more suddenly as compared with other countries of the region. The Polish currency crisis started earlier and lasted longer as in other countries of the region. The developments on financial markets did, however, not result in a recession.
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Should We Trust in Leading Indicators? Evidence from the Recent Recession
Katja Drechsel, Rolf Scheufele
Abstract
The paper analyzes leading indicators for GDP and industrial production in Germany. We focus on the performance of single and pooled leading indicators during the pre-crisis and crisis period using various weighting schemes. Pairwise and joint significant tests are used to evaluate single indicator as well as forecast combination methods. In addition, we use an end-of-sample instability test to investigate the stability of forecasting models during the recent financial crisis. We find in general that only a small number of single indicator models were performing well before the crisis. Pooling can substantially increase the reliability of leading indicator forecasts. During the crisis the relative performance of many leading indicator models increased. At short horizons, survey indicators perform best, while at longer horizons financial indicators, such as term spreads and risk spreads, improve relative to the benchmark.
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Poland Weathers the Crisis
Martina Kämpfe
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2009
Abstract
Expansion of economic activity in Poland in 2009 continued at a markedly lower level compared to previous years, but despite the falling external and domestic demand, economic recession did not happen until now. Early stabilisation measures, supported also by the European Community (EC) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), helped to avoid substantial instabilities in the financial sector. It seems that Poland is not as hardly affected by the financial crisis as other countries. Unlike previous years, now net exports were the main driving force for growth – they more than compensated the decrease in domestic demand.
Unemployment had risen up from the lowest level in the last decade, but still moderately due to measures of job security. Given the further shrinking labour demand, unemployment will increase despite modest economic activity. Fiscal policy has to meet challenges under the current economic crises: Excess expenditure and deficiency in receipts will deteriorate general government deficit in 2009 and 2010. Without adopted consolidation strategy, Polish convergence to the Euro area will have to be postponed.
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Tentative Recovery, Public Debt on the Rise
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
2. Sonderausgabe
2009
Abstract
In autumn 2009, the world economy appears to be growing again. The situation has improved mainly because drastic measures of central banks and governments stabilized the financial sector. More recently, the real economy is supported by fiscal programs taking effect. However, recoveries are usually slow if, as it is the case now, recessions have been intertwined with banking and housing crises. Thus, the industrial economies will not gain much dynamics this year and next, while chances for an upswing in emerging economies are much better.
The German economy stabilized during summer as well, with remarkably robust private consumption. An upswing, however, is, due to several factors, not in sight: Some important export markets will not rebound quickly, and consumption will be dampened by rising unemployment that, up to now, has been contained, not least with the aid of short-term working schemes. All in all, production shrinks by 5% in 2009 and will increase by no more than 1.2% next year. Public deficits are on the rise, with (in relation to GDP) 3.2% this year and 5.2% in 2010.
A credit crunch due to deteriorating balance sheets of banks is a major risk for the German economy. Policy should address this problem by making sure that equity ratios are sufficiently high. One way would be to impose public capital on banks that do not comply with certain regulatory ratios. These should be higher than the ones presently in force. Fiscal policy should begin consolidating in 2011, mainly by dampening the rise of expenditures. Tax cuts are only justified if they are accompanied by very ambitious spending cuts.
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Global Financial Crisis Seriously Hits Russian Economy Because of Structural Imbalances
Martina Kämpfe
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 6,
2009
Abstract
Due to the falling global demand for commodities and the heavy decline of world oil prices in last summer, Russian economy was affected seriously. The following decrease in export revenues and a wave of short-term capital withdrawals led to a crash of Russian stock and capital markets and a deterioration of the economic situation at the end of the previous year. The government decided to stabilize the exchange rate of the Rouble by interventions and to support the domestic banking sector in order to maintain credit availability. In respect of the approaching recession, the parliament approved an economic stimulus package that would help to stabilize the economy and to avoid too strong social burdens for the households. Nevertheless, there is a strong weakening of economic growth because of the economy’s dependency from oil prices and the lack of alternatives up to now.
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