Germany DIHK business situation, automotive industry
Germany DIHK business situation, automotive industry stood at 0 in May 2026, according to German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). It is one of the indicators in the DIHK Business Survey table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Sep 2003 to May 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the DIHK Business Survey table
| Indicator | 05-2026 | 01-2026 | 09-2025 | 05-2025 | 01-2025 | 09-2024 | 05-2024 | 01-2024 | 09-2023 | 05-2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | -3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 19 | |
| Manufacturing (excluding construction) | -7 | -10 | -15 | -11 | -14 | -16 | -5 | -1 | 0 | 19 | |
| Automotive industry | 0 | -9 | -32 | -15 | -30 | -31 | 4 | 13 | 7 | 18 |
Understanding germany DIHK business situation, automotive industry
Captures the net business sentiment strictly from manufacturers of motor vehicles, trailers, and specialized automotive components. This specific row isolates a massive, concentrated pillar of the industrial economy from the broader manufacturing aggregate. The scope includes both original equipment manufacturers and their immediate tier-one suppliers. By polling managers in this highly integrated sector on their present operational reality, the resulting positive-minus-negative balance acts as a bellwether for both complex supply chain health and big-ticket consumer demand.
Month-to-month momentum in the automotive balance requires careful interpretation due to the industry's extreme sensitivity to both semiconductor availability and shifting global emissions regulations. Sequential period-on-period analysis helps identify abrupt cyclical turns in factory utilization, driven by shifting export demands or domestic financing conditions. The figures are unrevised, offering an immediate snapshot that is unaffected by subsequent statistical smoothing. Analysts must actively avoid equating a surging sentiment balance with record vehicle registrations; the subjective assessment incorporates profit margins on premium models, meaning firms can report an excellent current situation even while total unit production volumes remain constrained.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this metric include sentiment from automotive dealerships and retail showrooms?
- No, the scope is restricted to the industrial production side, covering vehicle assembly and component manufacturing.
- How do supply chain disruptions impact the automotive balance?
- Shortages of critical components quickly halt assembly lines, prompting immediate downward revisions in how managers assess their current operational reality.
- Why track sequential monthly changes rather than annual growth?
- Month-to-month tracking isolates immediate shifts in production pacing and order execution, which are critical in a fast-moving, globally integrated industry.