# Energy crisis putting most German firms under duress -survey
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-02
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: German Companies Face Record High Energy Costs Threat
Meta Description: Discover how the Ukrainian war has led to record-high energy costs in Germany, impacting businesses and leading to uncertainty for the future.
URL: https://financedigest.com/energy-crisis-putting-most-german-firms-under-duress-surveyhtml

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BERLIN (Reuters) -The energy crisis is impacting nearly every branch of the German economy, with the number of companies that see high energy costs due to the Ukraine war as a threat to business at the highest level on record, the DIHK business survey showed on Wednesday.

Some 82% of the 24,000 businesses surveyed see the prices for energy and raw materials as a business risk, which the DIHK – the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry – said was the most since it began keeping records in 1985.

Correspondingly, optimism was in short supply, with only a record 8% of those surveyed expecting improvement. Even during the coronavirus times and the [financial market crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/biggest-uk-house-price-fall-recorded-since-financial-crisis.html "Biggest UK house price fall recorded since financial crisis"), the percentage of optimists was more than 10%,” said DIHK head Martin Wansleben. Companies [fear the worst is yet](https://www.financedigest.com/japans-covid-19-cases-defy-asia-rebound-yet-fears-remain-for-winter-wave.html "Japan’s COVID-19 cases defy Asia rebound, yet fears remain for winter wave") to come.

While the first half of 2022 was helped by the lifting of pandemic lockdowns, “these growth impulses have been eaten up by the [energy price crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-spend-on-energy-crisis-nears-800-billion-euros.html "Europe’s spend on energy crisis nears 800 billion euros"), inflation and the gloomy global economy for months,” said Wanleben. The [German economy](https://www.financedigest.com/german-economy-expected-to-skirt-recession-economy-ministry-report.html "German economy expected to skirt recession – economy ministry report") is not only facing a tough winter, but also a difficult year,” he added.

More than half of the companies said they expect their business to decline over the next 12 months, according to DIHK, which confirmed its spring forecast for the [German economy to grow](https://www.financedigest.com/german-economy-expected-to-grow-modestly-in-2023-european-commission.html "German economy expected to grow modestly in 2023 – European Commission") by 1.2% in 2022 and then shrink by around 3% in 2023.

The survey leaves little room for any [doubts about the direction of the coming months](https://www.financedigest.com/risk-fx-retreat-catapults-dollar-to-3-month-top-as-reflation-doubts-reemerge.html "Risk FX retreat catapults dollar to 3-month top as reflation doubts reemerge"), said DIHK’s Ilja Nothnagel.

The [German government’s latest forecast is for growth of 1.4% this year and a 0.4%](https://www.financedigest.com/german-gdp-contracted-by-0-4-in-the-fourth-quarter.html "German GDP contracted by 0.4% in the fourth quarter") slump next year.

Energy [prices have risen at an unprecedented speed](https://www.financedigest.com/immediate-lift-of-oxford-property-prices-to-result-from-new-direct-high-speed-rail-connection-with-london.html "“Immediate lift” of Oxford property prices to result from new direct high speed rail connection with London") in the months since Russia invaded Ukraine, and Germany has found that it can no longer rely on Russia as it has for decades to power its industry.

In response, nearly one in five energy-intense industries have scaled down production or their offerings, while [every 12th is considering](https://www.financedigest.com/top-5-security-technologies-that-every-finance-institution-workplace-should-consider.html "Top 5 Security Technologies That Every Finance Institution Workplace Should Consider") shifting production somewhere else, said DIHK, in particular companies in the automotive industry, at 17%.

We’re hearing quite often from [firms that they are looking for or eyeing locations that fit their portfolio in terms of energy,”](https://www.financedigest.com/varo-energy-buys-80-of-dutch-biogas-firm-aims-to-double-capacity-by-2026.html "Varo Energy buys 80% of Dutch biogas firm; aims to double capacity by 2026") which at the moment is the United States, said Nothnagel.

(Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Paul Carrel and Hugh Lawson)


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