Global Scans · Germany · Weekly Summary

• [New] German car production could fall as much as a third in a worst-case scenario, with a 10% fall more likely. Space Daily
• [New] German auto titan Volkswagen has warned that it cannot not rule out short term production stoppages, while emphasising that it is searching for alternative suppliers. Space Daily
• [New] India, the world's fifth-largest economy with a GDP of $4.2 trillion, is poised to surpass Japan and then Germany to become the third-largest economy globally by the early 2030s. United States Department of State
• [New] Housing needs far exceed supply France requires 518,000 homes annually (198,000 social), Germany 400,000 (140,000 social), the Netherlands nearly 1 million by 2031, and Sweden over 500,000 by 2033 - yet production consistently falls short, often by half. Housing Europe
• [New] The German city of Heilbronn has been named as European Green Capital 2027. Green Traveller
• [New] Both Germany and Japan have the technology to make magnets, and they do make magnets, except they do not make as many as they could because they can buy them cheaper from China. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] Relative stability is expected to prevail in 2026 for the Eurozone (1.2% in 2025 and 1.1% in 2026, with growth accelerating in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] Germany is projected to add 2,500 more insolvencies in 2025, with a potential 10% increase in 2026. Insurance Business
• [New] Germany, the UK, Italy, and Belgium are expected to experience negligible impacts from reduced exports, supported by diversified markets and stronger domestic bases. Insurance Business
• [New] The €3.4 billion ($4 billion) contract, handled by European defense-acquisition body OCCAR, will see 150 combat vehicles go to the German Bundeswehr and 72 to the Dutch forces. Defense News
• [New] Five of Germany's 16 states hold regional elections in 2026, including two in the formerly communist east, where AfD is particularly strong and has a good chance of finishing first. Euronews
• [New] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has once more vowed that his conservative CDU/CSU alliance would distance itself clearly and explicitly from the far-right Alternative for Germany ahead of five state elections in 2026. Deutsche Welle
• [New] Let us consider Germany, the baseload price for 2026 is around 88 € / MWh, with forecasts suggesting it will gradually fall to about 70 € / MWh by the end of the decade4. GEM Energy Analytics
• [New] Promised German fiscal expansion faces execution risks, while the trajectory of AI capex spending and its sustainability is also top of mind. Goldman Sachs Asset Management
• [New] The German government had hoped to encourage the conversion of ArcelorMittal's Bremen and Eisenhuttenstadt plants into hydrogen-powered furnaces through subsidies. Steel Radar
• [New] The stated long-term aim is to more than double the number of active German servicemen and women to 460,000 by 2035; comprised of roughly 260,000 permanent soldiers and around 200,000 reservists. Deutsche Welle
• [New] Germany is planning to create a new drone defence center that will pool the expertise of Germany's federal and state governments. Punch Newspapers
• [New] The debt-funded defence spending increase in Germany will drive overall demand for European defence products. Bruegel | The Brussels-based economic think tank
• [New] Lithium mining could bring Germany billions of euros. EADaily
• [New] Germany's new military procurement plan shows 154 major defence purchases planned through 2026, with only 8% going to U.S. suppliers - a dramatic shift from recent years when Berlin was one of Washington's biggest defence buyers. Courthouse News Service
• [New] Germany's instant payments represented just 2.5% of all payments in 2022 but are forecast to grow to 2.7 billion transactions by 2027. FinExtra
• [New] Earlier in 2025, US ride-hailing app Lyft said it would partner with Chinese artificial intelligence firm Baidu to introduce robotaxis in the UK and Germany in 2026. Euronews
• [New] In response to Nato assessments of the threat posed by Russia, Germany has pledged to gradually boost troop levels to 260,000 soldiers from 180,000 currently, in addition to 200,000 reservists. The Guardian

Last updated: 28 October 2025