Group 1 - The U.S. tariff policy has not succeeded in attracting German companies to invest in the U.S., instead accelerating their industrial shift to Eastern Europe and other regions [1] - A survey by Horvath Management Consulting indicates that German companies do not plan to increase their investment in the U.S. over the next five years, aligning with preliminary data from the German central bank that predicts a historic low in direct investments by 2025 [1][2] - The uncertainty of U.S. policies is seen as a significant deterrent for German companies, with investment in the U.S. dropping to €265 million in February and March 2021, compared to an average of €4.6 billion during the same period from 2010 to 2024 [2] Group 2 - Domestic markets remain a priority for German companies, with an average of 37% of their investment budget allocated to the domestic market, although this figure has decreased by 2 percentage points compared to the previous year [2] - Over half of the surveyed companies plan to reduce their workforce in Germany over the next five years [2] - German companies are increasingly directing 12% of their investment budget to Eastern Europe, with investments in Southern and Western Europe rising to 13%, reflecting a 3 percentage point increase from the previous year [3] Group 3 - Cost optimization and revenue structure enhancement are identified as the top priority for the next five years, highlighting the competitive cost pressures faced by German companies [3] - The importance of supply chain resilience has significantly increased, with "supply chain optimization" rising from the eighth to the fifth priority amid ongoing trade tensions [3]