Overview
- On Monday, September 28, the Ifo employment barometer edged up to 95.1, its third monthly rise and a sign that companies are slowing planned job cuts.
- The Ifo business climate also improved to 89.9, its highest level in more than three years, reflecting brighter firm expectations even as hiring remains muted.
- The IAB labour-market barometer, however, reports that employment is shrinking, with IAB researcher Enzo Weber attributing the drop mainly to baby-boomer retirements and reduced net migration.
- Sector patterns differ sharply: manufacturing and retail still plan staff reductions, services such as engineering, legal and tax firms and temp agencies report hiring needs, and construction looks largely stable.
- Official confirmation is expected in the Bundesagentur für Arbeit’s monthly statistics to be released by Andrea Nahles, and Destatis data showing 27% of employees with migration roots underscore how immigration trends affect staffing prospects.