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The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany increased again in the current September 2020 survey, climbing 5.9 points to a new reading of 77.4 points compared to the previous month. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany also improved, and currently stands at minus 66.2 points, 15.1 points higher than in August. With the increase of both the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment and the assessment of the economic situation, the overall outlook has improved significantly compared to the previous month.

In August 2020, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany increased again significantly compared to the previous month, after having declined slightly in July. Expectations are now at 71.5 points, 12.2 points higher than in the previous month. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has slightly worsened, with the corresponding indicator decreasing 0.4 points to minus 81.3 points in the current August survey.

The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany decreased slightly in July 2020. Expectations are now at 59.3 points, 4.1 points lower than in the previous month. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has improved slightly for the second time since January 2020. The corresponding indicator currently stands at minus 80.9 points, an increase of 2.2 points compared to June.

In June 2020, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany increased for the third consecutive time. The indicator currently stands at 63.4 points, which corresponds to a rise of 12.4 points compared with the May result. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has improved for the first time since January 2020. In the current survey, the corresponding indicator stands at minus 83.1 points, 10.4 points higher than in the previous month.

In May 2020, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany recorded an increase for the second time in a row, and now stands at 51.0 points, 22.8 points higher than in the previous month. In the current survey, the assessment of the economic situation in Germany, by contrast, continued to decrease slightly, with the corresponding indicator dropping 2.0 points to a new value of minus 93.5 points.

The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has risen by 77.7 points in April 2020, now being valued at 28.2 points. The assessment of the current economic situation, however, has worsened dramatically, with the corresponding indicator dropping to a new reading of minus 91.5 points, 48.4 points lower than in March. This constellation of values currently witnessed for expectations and the assessment of the current situation roughly corresponds to that seen in April/May 2009 during the financial crisis.

In March, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany plunged by 58.2 points to minus 49.5 points, the largest drop since the survey was started in December 1991. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has also worsened significantly compared to the previous month, with the corresponding indicator currently standing at minus 43.1 points, 27.4 points lower than in February. This combination of strongly negative values for the indicators of both the economic sentiment and the assessment of the current situation has only been witnessed once – during the financial crisis in autumn of 2008.

The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany decreased sharply in February, falling 18.0 points to a new reading of 8.7 points. The indicator is thus slightly below its December 2019 level. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has also worsened compared to the previous month, with the corresponding indicator dropping to a level of minus 15.7 points, 6.2 points lower than in January.

The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has again risen sharply at the beginning of 2020. In January, the indicator stands at 26.7 points, 16.0 points higher than in the previous month. This is the indicator’s highest value since July 2015. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany has also improved considerably in the current survey, with the corresponding indicator climbing to a level of minus 9.5 points, 10.4 points higher than in December.