Confidence among German businesses improved slightly at the start of third quarter as Europe and the US moved closer to a trade deal and Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to make the economy his No. 1 priority.
An expectations index by the Ifo institute rose to 90.7 in July from a revised 90.6 in June. The reading is the highest since April 2023. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected an increase to 91.1.