调查显示德国工业企业持续受困于关税冲击

Core Insights - The latest survey by the German Metalworkers' Union indicates that high energy costs, declining orders, and protectionist tariffs are putting continuous pressure on German industrial companies, with over half of employees expressing concerns about job stability [1] Group 1: Economic Conditions - The survey, conducted in September, included over 2,600 industrial companies across sectors such as machinery, automotive, metals, electrical engineering, and information technology, representing more than 1.3 million employees, which is over half of the union's membership [1] - The report highlights that the sluggish economic situation is a significant factor contributing to uncertainty, with nearly no improvement in the industrial outlook in recent months [1] Group 2: Employee Concerns - 47% of industry representatives surveyed believe the outlook for the next three months is poor, and 51% of respondents are worried about job stability, particularly in the automotive and metal industries [1] Group 3: Competitive Threats - High energy costs, low order volumes, and the impact of U.S. tariff policies are identified as major challenges for German companies, with 43% of industrial firms feeling that their competitiveness is severely or very severely threatened, especially in energy-intensive sectors [1] Group 4: Operational Adjustments - Due to a lack of orders, nearly one-fifth of surveyed industrial companies have had to implement short-time work arrangements [1] Group 5: Strategic Recommendations - The German Metalworkers' Union urges companies to actively pursue strategic transformation and innovation, accelerating development in sustainable areas such as artificial intelligence, circular economy, and battery technology [1]