THE BRIEFING · 17.09.2026 · 08:00 / 14:00 / 20:00
The ifo business climate index for East Germany rose from 89.1 in July to 89.8 in August (2015 = 100). Manufacturing and construction drove the improvement while trade and services lagged.
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An ifo analysis finds that companies spend only around ten percent of their investment budgets on climate protection. The briefing contextualizes the figure, explores causes, policy responses and remaining uncertainties.
The ifo employment barometer rose to 94.8 points in August 2026 — signalling that firms plan fewer job cuts in the near term. The indicator measures intentions, not realised dismissals.
Experts in Germany are advocating for fighting wildfires with significantly less fresh water through targeted tactics, stronger aerial support and improved training. The debate follows large fires and a case in Main‑Kinzig where drinking‑water management was directly affected.
A multilateral advisory warns that IT professionals disguised as freelancers are infiltrating Western companies. Separately, Liechtenstein’s government reported a major cyberattack involving financial data exfiltration; no public forensic link to North Korea has been established.
A new SWP comment argues that cyberattacks on hospitals, device makers and supply chains require an integrated national and European response. Incidents such as the Stryker attack in March 2026 show immediate risks to patient care, while questions about funding, liability and coordination persist.
An updated ifo analysis finds ageing and rising health costs have pushed Germany’s social spending to a record share of GDP. The paper quantifies which components explain recent growth and highlights methodological caveats.
An Oxford Net Zero policy briefing proposes treating fossil kerosene bundled with verified geological CO₂ storage — 'Geologically Balanced Fuels' — as a high‑integrity option within CORSIA. The paper provides legal and technical amendments but no international body has adopted GBFs.
Chinese artist Gao Zhen was sentenced to three years in prison by a court in Hebei, according to media reports and a copy of the written judgment circulating online. The case raises questions about artistic freedom, political symbolism and judicial practice in China.
The ifo Institute reports a sharp rebound in German export expectations in August 2026. Economists caution that sentiment indicators are not the same as realised trade flows and require corroboration by hard data.
At a two‑day cabinet retreat at Schloss Neuhardenberg on 25–26 August 2026, Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened discussions aimed at quickening structural, competitiveness and technology measures. The meeting will set the political tempo for autumn legislation and signals a push to tie industrial policy, sovereignty and innovation more closely to economic growth.
After extremely low levels, the Rhine is recovering. Conditions at the Kaub bottleneck are better than a week ago, but the episode shows how quickly water levels turn into transport capacity, freight rates and industrial costs.
Productivity growth has slowed sharply. Cutting red tape may help, but investment, technology and modern infrastructure matter just as much.
The party is presenting an ambitious state programme, but current polling suggests that dissatisfaction with government is benefiting the AfD more strongly.
More domestic visitors are heading to cooler mountain regions, creating both opportunity and a warning as climate change shifts demand and infrastructure needs.
Bern and Beijing have concluded negotiations to upgrade their free-trade agreement, balancing market access with concerns about strategic dependence.
Ahead of the cabinet retreat in Neuhardenberg, the chancellor is making growth and employment the priority. The real test is no longer agreeing packages, but delivering them.
Vice-chancellor and SPÖ leader Andreas Babler enters the next summer interview under polling pressure and with major reform questions ahead.
Two years after partial legalisation, the regulated market is expanding. The debate is shifting from principle to standards, youth protection and medical access.
The Federal Council wants to speed up key investments with an additional CHF 970 million credit, bringing security policy directly into the budget debate.
A €240 million farm support package was politically linked to progress on climate legislation, showing how Austria’s three-party coalition trades priorities across portfolios.
Negotiations to upgrade the free trade agreement are complete. Under the revised deal, 99.8 percent of current Swiss exports could enter China duty-free.
After another wave of Russian attacks, France is accelerating interceptor deliveries to Ukraine while pressure grows to expand European production capacity on a permanent basis.
Canada is preparing retaliation after new US tariffs. Because the two economies are deeply integrated, escalation hits not just importers but entire supply chains.