Germany labour market barometers
Germany labour market barometers, including monthly leading indicators from the ifo Institute and IAB.
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| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | 09-2025 | 08-2025 | 07-2025 | 06-2025 | 05-2025 | 04-2025 | 03-2025 | 02-2025 | 01-2025 | 12-2024 | 11-2024 | 10-2024 | 09-2024 | 08-2024 | 07-2024 | 06-2024 | 05-2024 | 04-2024 | 03-2024 | 02-2024 | 01-2024 | 12-2023 | 11-2023 | 10-2023 | 09-2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment barometer4 | 95.1 | 94.8 | 93 | 92.3 | 93.9 | 91.4 | 93.4 | 93.1 | 93.4 | 92 | 92.5 | 93.5 | 92.4 | 93.7 | 94 | 93.6 | 95.1 | 94 | 92.8 | 93 | 93.4 | 92.6 | 93.5 | 93.7 | 94 | 94.6 | 95.2 | 95.7 | 96.1 | 96 | 96.4 | 95 | 95.6 | 96.8 | 96.1 | 96.3 | 95.9 | |
| Employment expectations: manufacturing | -9.43 | -9.59 | -18.16 | -17.32 | -18.26 | -20.52 | -19.27 | -19.38 | -20.72 | -21.29 | -20.89 | -19.29 | -18.39 | -17.61 | -18.32 | -20.73 | -15.15 | -16.42 | -21.03 | -19.4 | -21.71 | -21.5 | -18.98 | -18.64 | -17.93 | -15.52 | -11.16 | -10.53 | -11.96 | -12.43 | -8.97 | -13.48 | -11.55 | -11.67 | -11.16 | -13.05 | -10.05 | |
| Employment expectations: construction | -1.24 | -1.46 | -1.06 | 0.07 | -0.1 | -0.16 | 0.61 | 2.48 | 0.9 | 1.83 | 5.24 | -0.28 | 0.93 | 0.47 | 1.18 | 1.1 | -2.41 | -3.23 | -1.39 | -4.58 | -3.13 | -2.13 | -1.97 | -0.2 | 0.15 | -0.34 | -1.44 | -5.83 | -6.75 | -5.49 | -8.42 | -6.6 | -7.18 | -4.02 | -7.99 | -6.21 | -6.94 | |
| Employment expectations: trade | -12.84 | -12.82 | -15 | -17.81 | -14.6 | -16.93 | -15.9 | -13.91 | -15.57 | -16.54 | -14.38 | -14.7 | -13.84 | -11.82 | -13.99 | -10.81 | -13.6 | -11.92 | -12.93 | -15.91 | -15.57 | -16.54 | -16.37 | -16.7 | -17.84 | -16.82 | -14.99 | -12.81 | -10.6 | -11.92 | -9.93 | -12.91 | -11.57 | -7.54 | -9.37 | -9.7 | -8.84 | |
| Employment expectations: services | 0.72 | -0.36 | -2.55 | -4.86 | 0.56 | -7.37 | -0.79 | -2.37 | -0.14 | -5.13 | -4.09 | -0.61 | -5.28 | -1.37 | 0.44 | -0.87 | 3.56 | -0.38 | -2.71 | -1.38 | 0.85 | -2.14 | -0.1 | 0.38 | 1.72 | 2.63 | 2.44 | 4.13 | 5.56 | 5.62 | 5.29 | 2.62 | 3.85 | 6.86 | 4.9 | 6.38 | 3.72 | |
| IAB Labour Market Barometer2 | 99.6 | 99.5 | 99.5 | 99.6 | 99.6 | 99.6 | 99.6 | 99.8 | 100.1 | 100.1 | 100.3 | 100.1 | 100.3 | 100.1 | 99.8 | 99.4 | 99.2 | 99.1 | 98.9 | 98.9 | 99 | 99.4 | 99.6 | 99.7 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 100 | 100 | 99.7 | 100.3 | 100 | 99.7 | 99.7 | 99.9 | 99.6 | 99.8 | 99.7 | |
| Component A: unemployment outlook | 99.9 | 99.5 | 99.5 | 99.3 | 99.1 | 99.1 | 98.8 | 99 | 99.7 | 99.9 | 100 | 100 | 100.1 | 99.7 | 99.3 | 98.3 | 98.1 | 97.8 | 97.5 | 97.6 | 97.5 | 97.9 | 98 | 98.1 | 98.5 | 98.5 | 98.2 | 98.3 | 97.8 | 98.6 | 98 | 97.7 | 97.2 | 97.5 | 97.4 | 97.3 | 97.3 | |
| Component B: employment outlook | 99.3 | 99.4 | 99.4 | 99.9 | 100.1 | 100.1 | 100.4 | 100.5 | 100.4 | 100.2 | 100.5 | 100.1 | 100.5 | 100.5 | 100.2 | 100.4 | 100.2 | 100.4 | 100.3 | 100.2 | 100.5 | 100.9 | 101.1 | 101.3 | 101.2 | 101.2 | 101.7 | 101.6 | 101.5 | 101.9 | 102 | 101.7 | 102.2 | 102.2 | 101.8 | 102.2 | 102.1 |
Latest reading
The series on this page is monthly and runs from Jan 2002 to Sep 2026. Source: ifo Institute and Institute for Employment Research (IAB).
About this data
Germany labour market barometers, including monthly leading indicators from the ifo Institute and IAB. The dataset tracks firms' hiring expectations across manufacturing, construction, trade and services. It also includes the IAB Labour Market Barometer, which separates the employment outlook from the unemployment outlook. Available since 2002, these series are measured as balances around a neutral level or as index values.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the latest figure for Germany labour market barometers?
- Employment barometer stood at 95.1 in Sep 2026. That is +0.3% from Aug 2026 and +2.9% from a year earlier.
- How far back does the Germany labour market barometers data go?
- The series on this page is monthly and runs from Jan 2002 to Sep 2026. Source: ifo Institute and Institute for Employment Research (IAB). Every series in the table can be charted over its full history and downloaded as CSV or Excel.
- What do the Germany labour market barometers measure?
- The Germany labour market barometers measure the future development of the domestic job market. The ifo Employment Barometer tracks firms' hiring expectations across manufacturing, construction, trade and services. The IAB Barometer assesses both the short-term employment outlook and unemployment outlook.
- What is the IAB Labour Market Barometer for Germany?
- The Germany IAB Labour Market Barometer is a monthly leading indicator compiled by the Institute for Employment Research. It comprises two main components: an employment outlook and an unemployment outlook, offering a preview of labour market trends.
- How should the Germany ifo Employment Barometer be read?
- The Germany ifo Employment Barometer is based on survey responses regarding firms' future hiring plans. The results are aggregated and presented as a balance in percentage points or as an index, reading expectations against a neutral level rather than measuring absolute job numbers.