German Chemical Sector Loses Confidence in October

By SKYSEVEN Chemical Technical Team · 2026-11-09

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Xinhua Finance Frankfurt, November 3 (Xinhua) -- Survey data released by the German Institute for Economic Research (Ifo) in Munich on the 3rd showed that Germany's chemical industry's business climate index fell to minus 5.9 points in October from 3.0 points in September, indicating a significant weakening of corporate business confidence.

The data shows that German chemical companies' assessment of their current operating conditions has declined, with the relevant indicator dropping from 3.0 points in September to 2.4 points; companies' expectations to future operating prospects have deteriorated significantly, with the expectation index falling from -1.5 points to -13.8 points.

On the other hand, there are also some positive signs in Germany's chemical sector. Compared with September, market demand rebounded and new orders increased in October, however the development was mainly driven by domestic manufacturing in Germany, while demand in overseas markets was relatively weak. With the increase in orders, chemical companies plan to expand production and further raise product prices. Meanwhile, the sector's capacity utilization rate improved, rising from 73.4% in the second quarter to 76.6% in the third quarter.

Anna Wolf, an sector expert at the Ifo Institute, said that corporate restructuring and the closure of production sites in the chemical sector have made companies worried. The fierce competitive situation faced by Germany's chemical sector in both domestic and international markets has not undergone fundamental changes.

According to data previously released by the German Chemical sector Association, in the second quarter of this year, the production of Germany's chemical and medical sector increased by 2.4% month-on-month, and sales rose by 7.3%. The association forecasts that Germany's chemical and medical sector production will decrease by 1.5% year-on-year in 2026, while sales are expected to grow by 2.5%. However, the development will be mainly driven by price increases.

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