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Economics in Brief

Economics in Brief provides quick and concise information on current themes.

Forwarding to KfW Research

November 2023 COP28 Climate Conference: High time for a course correction and new avenues
August 2023 Effects of quantitative tightening by the ECB and Fed on inflation and GDP
March 2023 Germans show broad support for the expansion of renewable energy
March 2023 Don’t be afraid of zombies: Debt sustainability is not a problem for 95% of SMEs in Germany
February 2023 Italy’s debt sustainability in the new interest environment: More challenging but still doable
May 2022 Low-income countries are in the grip of soaring global market prices for fuel and foodstuffs
February 2021 Coronavirus and structural change threaten jobs – further training more important than ever
August 2020 Social media – a tool for SMEs to recruit talent
August 2020 Coronavirus crisis has unsettled the VC market and changed the investor landscape
July 2020 Climate neutrality: Energy efficiency of buildings remains crucial!
June 2020 Green hydrogen – a key building block for a successful energy transition
June 2020 Coronavirus crisis drives shift to flexible and digital working in SMEs
May 2020 Recession in the Gulf spells trouble for many developing and emerging economies
May 2020 How the coronavirus crisis is affecting the German labour market
April 2020 Promotional programme makes 55,000 dwellings burglary-resistant each year
February 2020 Export weakness under the microscope: Where are the headwinds in the euro area coming from?
February 2020 Latin America – denouncing inequality
January 2020 Estonia is a technologically savvy place but not all is future-oriented yet
October 2019 Just under 100,000 new businesses were started in the creative industries in 2018
October 2019 South Africa: The debate on reforms is slowly starting
October 2019 German SMEs divided over possible consequences of a hard Brexit
September 2019 Bulgaria plans to join the euro – is the Southeast European EU country ready?
August 2019 Use of foreign currency in Russia
July 2019 Germany’s economy: is an industrial recession less contagious than before?
May 2019 Energy crisis in South Africa – a barrier to higher economic growth
April 2019 Protests in Algeria also highlight the limitations of the economic model
March 2019 Nigeria after the elections: no recovery without reforms
February 2019 Germany has fewer women in executive positions than the international average
February 2019 Female ownership decreases further in Germany's SME sector
January 2019 Access to finance is main obstacle for SMEs in Africa
December 2018 Why are German firms reluctant to invest in Africa?
December 2018 Slovakia must now change its course
November 2018 Ethiopia – from land of famine to land of hope?
November 2018 Financial investors in the M&A market for SMEs: activities are picking up slightly
September 2018 Downturn in Greenfield investments in Asia – cyclical or structural?
August 2018 European financial assistance – Germany’s exposure is average
July 2018 Migrants’ start-up propensity is now in line with the average
March 2018 Interest rate reversal – a threat to capital flows to developing and emerging economies?
March 2018 The performance of the German innovation system is falling behind other countries
February 2018 Public debt reduction in the euro area – initial progress
January 2018 Start-up location Germany: good with upside potential
November 2017 Energy transition in France – winds of change with Nicolas Hulot
October 2017 German exports are dominated by automobiles
October 2017 Green Bonds: global market is growing fast and issuers are becoming more diverse
September 2017 Labour market in the Czech Republic sets standards
September 2017 Dark clouds are gathering on the UK’s economic horizon
September 2017 The whole euro area is recovering – the whole euro area …? Yes!
August 2017 Nigeria – a poor example of macro-economic adjustment?
August 2017 Emergin markets have become more important for Germany's foreign trade
July 2017 Oil prices and bond yields – hand-in-hand again
July 2017 Five years of ‘whatever it takes’: three words that saved the euro
July 2017 Asymmetric shocks within the euro area – absorption mechanism needed
June 2017 US climate policy jeopardises SMEs’ energy efficiency gains
June 2017 In its fourth year, Spain’s recovery has overcome many crisis effects
June 2017 “Taper tangram” – the ECB’s exit is a game of patience
June 2017 The USA has no economic policy
June 2017 Is climate protection really bad for the US economy?
May 2017 Food inflation: a brief intermezzo
March 2017 At what level might tariffs be set after a “hard Brexit”?
March 2017 R&D expenditure in Germany: positive trend since 1995, but levels need to increase further
March 2017 The external debt levels of the poorest Sub-Saharan countries must be monitored closely
February 2017 Mexico – struggle for growth and progress
January 2017 What is behind China’s capital outflows?
January 2017 The current weakness of many emerging markets evokes the concept of the middle income trap
January 2017 Banking regulation in Europe: further steps on a long road
December 2016 Germany's SMEs after US election and before Brexit: keep markets open!
December 2016 The current external imbalances from a global and from a German perspective
November 2016 Supporting the private sector would greatly benefit the countries of North Africa
October 2016 Should the lingering weakness of global trade be a cause for concern?
September 2016 Keeping a watch on emerging market corporate debt
September 2016 Japan – a trailblazer in economic policy change?
September 2016 KfW Research Business Cycle Clock Euro Area
May 2016 Ageing in developing East Asia requires broad policy responses
May 2016 Brazil: investment suffers strongly during recession
May 2016 Market for green bonds is taking root
April 2016 Germany’s external trade – driven by demand or by the exchange rate?
April 2016 Mexico – portfolio inflows finance a large portion of the current account deficit
March 2016 SME business performance – research and development pays off
March 2016 Oil – suppliers are calling the shots
March 2016 MENAP – the low oil price makes a big difference
February 2016 Weak productivity growth in Germany – is it a problem?
February 2016 Will the free movement of workers survive a Brexit deal at the EU Summit?
January 2016 Commodity price decline weighs on investment
December 2015 Spain: political uncertainty overshadows good economic outlook
December 2015 The remarkable weakness of world trade and its implications for Germany
December 2015 Euro area: the credit channel is working!
November 2015 China: Interest rates set free
November 2015 New capital for Greek banks
November 2015 Strong growth makes India shine but its policy lags behind
October 2015 Efficient investment for higher growth in the euro area
October 2015 Inflation quiet thanks to oil?
October 2015 China’s shift is the right approach, some worries are exaggerated
September 2015 Business size and stages of economic development
September 2015 Peru favours investment
September 2015 Companies in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme: does climate policy influence their competitiveness?
September 2015 US monetary policy: Courage needed!
September 2015 Turbulent times ahead for foreign currency debtors in emerging markets
August 2015 More Europe! On the road to Energy Union
July 2015 TTIP from the perspective of developing and emerging countries
July 2015 25 years of economic and social union – proving the strength of Germany's social market economy
June 2015 China's foreign exchange reserves – a currency policy with risks and side-effects
June 2015 United Kingdom – “political construction sites” create uncertainty
April 2015 Brazil’s consumers are in a tight spot
April 2015 The BRICS – important trading partners for Germany
March 2015 Who benefits from the devaluation of the euro?
March 2015 A strong US dollar – a blessing or a curse?
February 2015 Stressed Russian banking sector
February 2015 Russia’s external debt
February 2015 Without addressing structural weaknesses, Emerging Markets will struggle to make progress
February 2015 Business climate increases as the year draws to a close
December 2014 Eurozone grows as Lithuania joins
December 2014 The Eurasian Customs and Economic Union
October 2014 Ireland: Successful return
October 2014 The new ECB test and banks' equity
October 2014 Falling sales expectations curb SME innovation activity in Germany
August 2014 Is an EU Association Agreement worth it?
July 2014 New assistance frameworks for BRICS countries in place, but many questions remain
June 2014 Controversial TTIP agreement between EU and USA
June 2014 What next for global energy investments?
April 2014 EnEV 2014: Housing stock is key to success – nine million buildings in need of renovation
April 2014 France's plans deserve to be implemented
April 2014 Interest rate liberalisation in China - necessary, but risky
April 2014 Ukraine – Small economy, major problems
April 2014 Russia's "Dutch disease"
April 2014 SRM and SRF: a success – by European standard
April 2014 Japan: "Abenomics" – a success story?
March 2014 SME loans in southern Europe - are the lean times over?
March 2014 The second energy turnaround – what do companies think?
March 2014 EEG power runs along the supply chain
January 2014 The Bali WTO resolutions: plenty of boastings, but not much substance
January 2014 Young companies lead the way in the use of social media
December 2013 Euro newcomer Latvia
December 2013 Female Leaders – An economic success factor
November 2013 Climate change also affects the residential sector
November 2013 United Kingdom: Recovery with risks
November 2013 Transport infrastructure – the municipalities are in need!
October 2013 Backloading has no material impact on CO2 prices or reduction initiatives
October 2013 Generation of low birth rates accelerates trend in older self-employed workers
September 2013 Energy cooperatives need to professionalise following elections
September 2013 Social enterprises as an investment?
August 2013 Start-up activity in the skilled trades: visible change
August 2013 Municipalities, prepare for old age!
August 2013 After a sustained boom Turkey is facing a difficult period
July 2013 With a little help from a friend
July 2013 Necessity entrepreneurs tend to compete on price more often
June 2013 Welcome, Croatia!
June 2013 Yen depreciation slows German exports
June 2013 Poverty in developing and industriealised countries - one term, two meanings
June 2013 Alternative welfare is measureable
May 2013 Remittances from migrant workers stabilise the economies of developing countries
March 2013 Germany is increasingly attracting qualified migrants
February 2013 Rising power supply costs, rising electricity rates: who carries the additional burden?
January 2013 Updated view of the economic situation: the World Bank Report "Global Economic Prospects", January 2013
January 2013 The confusing proliferation of developing country classifications
January 2013 House price correction is underway in the Netherlands
December 2012 From exports to foreign investments: SMEs tap into foreign markets
December 2012 Why do young enterprises fail?
November 2012 ECB monetary policy: Currently no risk of inflation