Munich, Jan. 31, (dpa/GNA) – The shortage of materials in German manufacturing eased somewhat in January, according to the ifo Institute in Munich.
The researchers said on Monday that 67.3 per cent of companies reported bottlenecks and problems procuring intermediate products and raw materials in the first month of the year, down from 81.9 per cent in December.
“Despite this development, companies still have much to worry about,” said Klaus Wohlrabe, head of surveys at ifo. “It remains to be seen if this is a trend reversal.”
The situation was particularly taxing for manufacturers of electrical equipment. There, the share of companies experiencing difficulties dropped only slightly, from 93.8 to 89.6 per cent, the ifo said.
Among manufacturers of machinery and equipment, 80.6 per cent reported problems, down from 91.0 per cent, and in the automotive industry, the figure stood at 77.9 per cent, down from 92.9 per cent.
GNA