(Bloomberg) — Data from Germany in the coming days will shed light on whether Europe’s largest economy is on the cusp of a meaningful revival or still being hampered by Donald Trump’s tariffs and its own chronic shortcomings.
Releases will include the premier indicator of economic mood, from the Ifo Institute, and a closer look at the nation’s fourth-quarter performance, which topped expectations. There’ll also be monthly updates on consumer sentiment and unemployment.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Analysts reckon Ifo’s barometers of expectations and how firms view current conditions will tick up slightly on Monday, tracking improvements already seen in surveys of purchasing managers. As well as beating forecasts, those polls delivered the long-awaited news that Germany’s manufacturing sector is growing again — for the first time since 2022.

Wednesday will see Germany’s statistics office flesh out the reasons behind a 0.3% advance in gross domestic product at the end of 2025, having initially attributed the success to spending by households and the government. The Bundesbank has also cited growth in industry and notable strength in construction.
A rebound in the former is seen as crucial for Germany to shake off years of stagnating or shrinking output. As well as the PMIs, factory orders shot up in December — suggesting the large sums Germany is spending on rebuilding its infrastructure and military are starting to be felt.
An industrial revival would be welcomed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who’s struggling to convince Germans of his economic vision and facing calls from business leaders to make good on promises to slash bureaucracy and boost competitiveness.
What Bloomberg Economics Says:
“We don’t anticipate a meaningful near-term economic acceleration in Germany, forecasting growth of 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026 and 0.3% in the second quarter. Increased public spending on infrastructure and defense is expected to provide a larger boost in the second half of 2026, lifting quarterly GDP growth to 0.4%. That would leave calendar-adjusted annual growth at 0.8% in 2026, up from 0.3% in 2025.”
—Martin Ademmer, economist. For full analysis, click here
Complicating an already uncertain backdrop is the possibility that Christine Lagarde fails to serve out her term at the helm of the European Central Bank, which has brought inflation to heel and laid the groundwork for the euro zone’s own economic recovery.