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The economic sentiment among companies in the economic sector service providers of the information society remains positive in the middle of 2011. Neither strong increases nor decreases in the indicators for the business situation or the business expectations for the third quarter of 2011 could be observed. Accordingly, the ZEW-IDI, the economic sentiment indicator for the whole economic sector of service providers of the information society, has increased only slightly by 0.3 points in the second quarter of 2011. It now stands at 62.7 points. This is still significantly above the critical value of 50 points. A ZEW-IDI value above 50 points indicates a better economic sentiment in comparison to the previous quarter. These are the findings of the business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)in Mannheim in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss. The survey was conducted in June 2011 in the economic sector service providers of the information society. read more
The overall sentiment in the sector of service providers of the information society has tarnished in the first quarter of the year 2011 in comparison to the quarter immediately prior to it. To a significant extent, this is due to the deterioration of the business situation. Accordingly, the ZEW-IDI drops by 4.4 points in the first quarter of 2011 to a level of 62.4 points. Even though the direct contrast with the previous quarter suggests a lower value, a ZEW-IDI above 50 points indicates an arguably improved economic sentiment with respect to the previous quarter. This is the result of the business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim in a collaborative effort with Creditreform, Neuss, in March 2011 in the sector of service providers of the information society. (Details shall be provided at the end of press release) read more
In the fourth quarter of 2010, the sentiment in the economic sector of service providers of the information society continued to improve in comparison to the previous quarter. A reason for this is, in particular, the very positive development of the current business situation in the economic sector. Thus, the ZEW-IDI, the economic sentiment indicator for the whole economic sector of service providers of the information society, increased by 4.4 points in the fourth quarter of 2010 and now stands at a value of 66.8 points. A ZEW-IDI value above 50 points indicates a better economic sentiment in comparison to the previous quarter. These are the findings of a business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss. The survey was conducted in December 2010 in the economic sector service providers of the information society (see details at end of press release). read more
In the third quarter 2010, the sentiment in the economic sector of service providers of the information society consisting of ICT service providers and knowledge intensive service providers is optimistic. "The reason for this development is that the situation for ICT service providers has considerably improved. This, in turn, is due to the firms’ optimistic assessment of the business situation in this sub-sector," says Jenny Meyer, researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. Among the ICT service providers, i.e. software businesses, IT services, ICT specialised trade and telecommunication services, particularly firms in the software and IT services sector are the driving force behind this development. More than 50 percent of these firms report an increase in sales and a majority reports increasing demand in the third quarter 2010. These are the findings of a business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss. The survey was conducted in September 2010 in the economic sector service providers of the information society. read more
In the second quarter of 2010, the economic situation of knowledge intensive service providers, including tax consultants, accountants, management consultants, architects, technical consultants and planners, research and development companies and advertising companies, has considerably increased in comparison to the first quarter of 2010. "The reason for the increased optimism is the positive assessment of the current business situation by knowledge intensive service providers," says Miruna Sarbu, researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. The positive assessment of the current business situation comes along with optimistic business expectations for the third quarter of 2010. Especially management consultants, technical consultants and planners as well as research and development companies are the driving force for this development. read more
The economic situation among companies in the economic sector service providers of the information society overall remains stable in the first quarter of 2010. The current business situation receives slightly poorer evaluations compared to the previous quarter. However, survey participants expect the economic situation to improve in the second quarter of 2010. read more
The economic situation among companies in the economic sector service providers of the information society further improves. Companies in this economic sector overall expect a positive development in the first quarter of 2010. Moreover, the current business situation receives better evaluations than in mid 2009. read more
The economic crisis reached the service providers of the information society in Germany at the beginning of the year 2009. By now about 88 percent of all businesses in this economic sector, which comprises the knowledge intensive service providers and the ICT-specialised service providers, report to be affected by the current economic crisis, the negative impact ranging from slightly to very strong. This is the result of a survey among the service providers of the information society which the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) Mannheim has conducted in cooperation with the credit reference agency Creditreform, Neuss, in September 2009 (details of the survey are provided at the end of this press release). read more
The ZEW-IDI, a sentiment indicator for the economic sector service providers of the information society in Germany, which includes the knowledge intensive service providers as well as the ICT-service providers, increases by 5.6 points to a value of 54.7 points in the third quarter of 2009. For the first time this year the indicator now is above the critical value of 50 points which points to an improvement of the economic sentiment compared to the previous quarter. The main cause of this positive development is the distinct brightening of business expectations regarding the fourth quarter of 2009. The corresponding partial indicator for the business expectations rises to a value of 62.1 points in the third quarter of 2009. "This figure makes clear that companies are optimistic with regard to their business situation in the fourth quarter of 2009," explains Miruna Sarbu, researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. The ZEW-IDI is based on a business survey among service providers of the information society, conducted by the ZEW in cooperation with the credit reference agency Creditreform, Neuss, in September 2009 (details regarding the survey are provided below). read more
In the second quarter 2009, cautious optimism has emerged regarding the business situation in the sector service providers of the information society, which includes both knowledge-intensive service providers and ICT service providers. read more
The ZEW-IDI, a sentiment indicator for the whole sector service providers of the information society, falls by 14.2 points to 39.9 points in the first quarter 2009. Therefore the indicator lies below the critical value of 50 points for the first time since it was established. A value of the ZEW-IDI above this mark signalises an improvement of the economic sentiment compared to the previous quarter, while any value below this mark stands for a deteriorating sentiment. read more
One-third of German-based Service Providers of the Information Society – an economic sector that includes ICT service providers as well as knowledge-intensive service providers – export their services abroad. "For these firms, German-speaking foreign countries represent the most important export market, followed by the rest of Western Europe", says Jenny Meyer, a researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. read more
In the fourth quarter 2008 the economic situation for businesses in the sector service providers of the information society slightly recovered. The ZEW-IDI, a sentiment indicator for this sector, rises by 1.8 points to 54.1 points. "This is mainly due to the consistent situation of supply and demand", says Jenny Meyer, researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim. read more
The ZEW-IDI, a sentiment indicator for the whole sector service providers of the information society comprising both the ICT service providers and knowledge-intensive service providers, fell to 52.3 points in the third quarter 2008. This is the lowest value the indicator has seen since it was established in the fourth quarter 2003. read more
In Germany the business situation of knowledge-intensive service providers, which include enterprises of the branches tax consultancy and accounting, management consultancy, architecture, technical consultancy and planning, research and development as well as advertising significantly improved during the second quarter 2008 compared to the first quarter 2008. The sentiment indicator for the knowledge-intensive services’ sector, based on the companies’ business expectations for the next three months and on the assessment of their current business situation reached 67.7 points. This is an increase of 7.1 points compared to the first quarter 2008. "This increase is above all due to the significant growth in demand and in turnover reported by the enterprises of the knowledge-intensive services’ sector for the second quarter 2008", says Jenny Meyer, researcher at the Centre for European Economic Research. The companies’ positive assessment regarding turnover and demand is not bound to the current situation. For the third quarter 2008 they also expect a favourable development. The partial indicator which reflects the assessment of the business expectations reached 67.4 points, an increase of 2 points compared to the first quarter 2008. This is the result of a business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in cooperation with the credit reference agency Creditreform, Neuss, in June 2008. read more
In Germany the business situation of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) service providers, comprising enterprises of the branches software and IT-services, ICT-specialized trade as well as telecommunication services, has improved in the first quarter 2008 compared to the fourth quarter 2007. The knowledge-intensive service providers which include enterprises of the branches tax consultancy and accounting, management consultancy, architecture, technical consultancy and planning, research and development as well as advertising assess their current business situation in the first quarter 2008 more pessimistically. However, this pessimism will not last. The business expectations for the second quarter 2008 are assessed far more positively by the ICT service providers as well as the knowledge-intensive service providers. This is the result of a business survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in cooperation with the credit reference agency Creditreform, Neuss, in March 2008. read more
The German service providers of the information society are split over their business expectations for the first quarter 2008. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) service providers, comprising enterprises of the branches software and IT-services, ICT-specialized trade as well as telecommunication services, are far more optimistic concerning the start of the new business year than the knowledge-intensive service providers which include enterprises of the branches tax consultancy and accounting, management consultancy, architecture, technical consultancy and planning, research and development as well as advertising. read more
The business situation of the IT-related service providers has deteriorated in the third quarter 2007. The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, calculated on the basis of the four components current turnover and demand, as well as expected turnover and expected demand, has decreased by 4.5 points in comparison to the second quarter 2007 and is now at a level of 61.4 points. The current business situation as well as the business expectations for the fourth quarter 2007 are being assessed worse by the firms of the economic sector. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, in the second quarter 2007 has increased by 2.1 points in comparison to the first quarter 2007 and now reaches a value of 65.9 points. Particularly the partial indicator which reflects the assessment of the current business situation is responsible for this increase. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, has slightly decreased by 0.5 points in the first quarter 2007 and now reaches a value of 63.8 points. The business situation in the first quarter 2007 is being assessed worse by the firms in the economic sector than in the fourth quarter 2006. The partial indicator which reflects the assessment of the current business situation has decreased in the first quarter 2007 by 6.6 points down to a value of 59.4 points. However, the expectations for the following quarter are considerably better. That is, the partial indicator which reflects the estimation of the future business situation has increased in the first quarter 2007 by 5.9 points to a value of 68.5 points. This is the result of a business survey among German IT-related service providers conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in cooperation with the credit reference agency Creditreform, Neuss, in March 2007. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, has slightly increased by 0.2 points in the fourth quarter 2006 and now reaches a value of 64.3 points. The business situation is being positively assessed by the firms in the economic sector in the fourth quarter 2006. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, has slightly decreased on the third quarter 2006 by 5.5 points and is now at a level of 64.1 points. Indeed, the business development in the third quarter 2006 has been less dynamic compared to the previous quarter. Nevertheless the high value of the indicator, despite this slight decline, expresses an optimistic sentiment and suggests a stabilisation of the business situation in the economic sector. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector of IT-related service providers, has receded in the first quarter 2006 by 7.4 points to now 63.3 points. Its high level nevertheless expresses optimism, notwithstanding this decline. read more
IT-related service providers concluded the year 2005 with a favourable business outlook. For the first time, positive effects on the job market can be seen as well. read more
In the third quarter 2005 the IT-related service providers followed up on the positive business development of the previous quarter and further expanded their respective activities. This is indicated by the clear increase of the ZEW-IDI. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, climbed to a score of 62.6 points in the second quarter 2005. With this marked increase, as compared to the previous quarter's value (55.4 points), the indicator reaches its peak of the second and third quarter 2004. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the economic sector IT-related service providers, has dropped in the first quarter 2005 for the second quarter in a row and now rates at 55.4 points. This value of the indicator, which is being compiled since the third quarter of 2003, corresponds with the, as of yet, historic low recorded in the first quarter 2004. read more
The ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the German IT-related service providers, rates with 59.0 points in the fourth quarter of 2004 clearly below the previous quarter's value of 62.6 points. read more
The value of the ZEW-IDI, sentiment indicator for the German IT-related service providers, is 62.6 points in the second quarter of 2004. This value clearly exceeds the value of 55.4 points of the first quarter. read more
The ZEW-IDI value is 55.4 points in the first quarter of 2004. This sentiment indicator for the German IT-related service providers was introduced at the end of last year. In the fourth quarter of 2003 the ZEW-IDI had reached a value of 58.4 points. read more
From now on the ZEW will be releasing a quarterly sentiment indicator for the IT-related service providers. The new indicator, ZEW-IDI, is based upon the ZEW/Creditreform business survey among enterprises that belong to this sector. read more