#manufacturing-sector

#manufacturing-sector

Germany's energy-intensive industries face severe disruption from Middle East conflict, with surging power costs and supply chain chaos threatening manufacturers across chemicals, steel, and cement sectors.

German business sentiment fell in November, signaling waning corporate confidence in government recovery plans amid industrial slump, weak demand, and slow-to-start reforms.

Thirty-six percent of German companies plan workforce reductions next year while only 18 percent expect to hire, with clear regional and sectoral variation.

The UK economy shrank for the second month in May due to inflation affecting spending and elevated employment costs.

Hiring in the U.S. slowed in May due to tariffs and federal job cuts, with job gains revised down.

The economy shows signs of stagnation as employers added only 139,000 jobs in May.

British manufacturers urge government to embed legally binding offset agreements in defence contracts to benefit SMEs.