Gokhan Ergocun
15 September 2026•Update: 15 September 2026
Germany's economic expectations remained stable in September as the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment rose 0.5 points to plus 34.7 points, official survey results showed on Tuesday.
The assessment of Germany's current economic situation posted a significant improvement, surging 14 points from August to minus 47.1 points.
ZEW President Achim Wambach said financial experts maintain cautious optimism regarding an economic recovery, driven by fiscal measures and export momentum.
Wambach warned that persistently high energy prices caused by the ongoing war in Iran and uncertainty stemming from hybrid attacks continue to pose considerable risks to the economy.
Sectoral performance presented a heterogeneous picture across industries during the month.
The insurance sector benefited from higher interest rates, recording a 12.1-point increase to 46.4 points.
The banking industry also saw a strong gain of 8.2 points compared with August, reaching 52.9 points.
In contrast, steel and metal manufacturing as well as the automotive sector remained in negative territory, standing at minus 16.7 points and minus 22.6 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, economic expectations for the eurozone dropped 5.6 points from the previous month to plus 25.8 points.
The situation indicator for the eurozone increased by 7.6 points to minus 13.9 points in September.
