19.12.2017 • 40/2017
The medium-term economic development in Germany from 2017 to 2022 and opportunities for fiscal policies of a new federal government
Due to the cyclical upswing in Germany, in case of unaltered legislation, the general government would achieve considerable budget surpluses in the years ahead. As a consequence, there is large fiscal scope for a new federal government. With the fiscal policy simulation model of the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) – Member of the Leibniz Association, the macroeconomic effects of various fiscal policy measures are analysed. The results show that additional government expenditures, like the expansion of social benefits, do have a stronger effect on GDP than revenue cuts, like for instance tax reliefs. „Due to the already high capacity utilisation, revenue cuts seem to be advantageous from a business cycle perspective. Moreover, a reduction of the high taxes and charges on labour would, in contrast to an expansion of social benefits, have a positive effect on potential output“, says Oliver Holtemöller, head of the Department of Macroeconomics and IWH vice president.
Oliver Holtemöller
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14.12.2017 • 39/2017
Cyclical upswing in Germany and in the world
At the turn of the year, the cyclical upswing in Germany continues. Gross domestic product is expected to increase by 2.2% in 2017, and because this year has seen significantly fewer working days than before, the rate of change amounts, adjusted for calendar effects, to even 2.5%. “The upswing is broad-based”, says Oliver Holtemöller, head of the Department Macroeconomics and IWH vice president. “For quite a long time now, significant increases in employment have been driving private incomes, consumption and housing construction. The latter was, in addition, stimulated by low interest rates.” Currently, German exports are benefiting from the vivid international economy. Not least since monetary policy in the euro area remains expansionary for the time being, we expect the upturn to continue in 2018 and production to increase again by 2.2%. Consumer price inflation is, with 1.7%, still moderate in both 2017 and 2018. Although domestic price pressures are on the rise, the effects of the energy price increase in 2017 expire in 2018, and the appreciation of the euro in the summer of 2017 will dampen price dynamics.
Oliver Holtemöller
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28.09.2017 • 35/2017
Joint Economic Forecast—Autumn 2017: Upturn Remains Robust—Amid Mounting Tensions
The German economic upturn has gained both in terms of strength and breadth. In addition to consumer spending, external trade and investments are now also contributing to economic expansion. These are the conclusions drawn by the economic research institutes in their autumn report for the German federal government. Whereas the very high economic momentum in the first half of the current year will slow slightly, expansion of economic output this year and next will exceed production capacity growth. As a result, overall capacity utilization will increase, with economic output exceeding potential output. Gross Domestic Product is likely to grow by 1.9 percent this year and by 2 percent in 2018 (calendar-adjusted: 2.2 and 2.1 percent, respectively).
Oliver Holtemöller
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15.06.2017 • 27/2017
IWH stellt Aufsichtsrat neu auf
Sabine Freifrau von Schorlemer ist vom Aufsichtsrat des Leibniz-Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) im Rahmen seiner Sitzung am 15.06.2017 zur neuen Vorsitzenden gewählt worden. Sie folgt auf Manfred Maas, der den Vorstandsrat und späteren Aufsichtsrat des Instituts seit 2003 über drei Amtszeiten hinweg geleitet hat.
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11.04.2017 • 18/2017
The state as a pioneering customer: How public demand can drive private innovation
Especially in technology-intensive industries, demand from the state can expand private markets and create incentives for privately funded research and development, a new study by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) – Member of the Leibniz Association shows.
Viktor Slavtchev
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Die mittelfristige wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in Deutschland für die Jahre 2016 bis 2021
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch, Katja Heinisch, Oliver Holtemöller, Brigitte Loose, Matthias Wieschemeyer, Götz Zeddies
Konjunktur aktuell,
No. 4,
2016
Abstract
Nach der Mittelfristprojektion des IWH dürfte das Bruttoinlandsprodukt in Deutschland in den Jahren von 2016 bis 2021 um durchschnittlich 1½% wachsen; das nominale Bruttoinlandsprodukt wird wohl um durchschnittlich 3% zunehmen. Nach einer leichten Überauslastung der Kapazitäten in den Jahren 2016 und 2017 dürfte sich die Produktionslücke mittelfristig schließen. Aufgrund des mittelfristig kaum anziehenden Wachstums im Euroraum und des im Vergleich zum langfristigen Mittel schwachen Welthandels dürften vom Außenhandel in der mittleren Frist kaum Impulse ausgehen; die konjunkturelle Dynamik wird daher nach wie vor maßgeblich von der Inlands¬nachfrage bestimmt. Die Verbraucherpreise ziehen im Prognosezeitraum etwas an.
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14.12.2016 • 50/2016
The German Economy: Economic Activity Spurred by Private Consumption and Construction
German economic activity remains robust due to strong domestic demand. IWH forecasts gross domestic product (GDP) to increase by 1.3% in 2017. The growth rate is half a percentage point lower than in 2016 due to calendar effects and a negative contribution of external trade. Consumer price inflation also remains modest (1.3%). “Unemployment is expected to increase slightly due to a protracted integration of refugees into the labor market”, says Oliver Holtemöller, Head of the Department Macroeconomics and IWH vice president
Oliver Holtemöller
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13.12.2016 • 49/2016
Investitionen in Köpfe stärker in den Fokus rücken – Stellungnahme zu den Neuregelungsplänen der GRW-Förderung in Sachsen-Anhalt
Die wirtschaftliche Lücke zu den westdeutschen Ländern kann in Sachsen-Anhalt nur verringert werden, wenn die Förderstrategie von Sachkapitalinvestitionen auf Investitionen in Köpfe umschwenkt. Für mehr Effizienz kommt es nun auf Innovationen an – und diese hängen vor allem von der Kreativität und der Qualifikation der Menschen im Land ab.
Mirko Titze
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13.10.2016 • 45/2016
IWH-Industrieumfrage im dritten Quartal 2016: Konjunkturelle Dynamik im ostdeutschen Verarbeitenden Gewerbe schwächt sich leicht ab
Im Verarbeitenden Gewerbe Ostdeutschlands hat sich die Geschäftslage weiter verbessert. Sie ist damit fast auf dem Höchststand des Jahres 2007. Das zeigen die Ergebnisse der IWH-Umfrage vom dritten Quartal 2016 unter rund 300 Unternehmen. Per saldo verbesserte sich die Beurteilung der aktuellen Geschäftslage um vier Punkte, nachdem sie im Quartal zuvor sogar um sechs Punkte zugelegt hatte. Die Geschäftsaussichten gingen hingegen zuletzt ein wenig zurück.
Birgit Schultz
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29.09.2016 • 40/2016
Joint Economic Forecast: German Economy on Track – Economic Policy needs to be Realigned
Thanks to a stable job market and solid consumption, the German economy is experiencing a moderate upswing. The GDP is expected to increase by 1.9 percent this year, 1.4 percent in 2017, and 1.6 percent in 2018, according to the Gemeinschaftsdiagnose (GD, joint economic forecast) that was prepared by five of Europe’s leading economic research institutes on behalf of the Federal Government. The most recent GD, which was released in April, predicted a GDP growth rate of 1.6 percent for 2016 and 1.5 percent for 2017.
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