Overview
- The chamber’s business‑climate index rose to 88.5 in Q4 2025, up 4.1 points yet still well below the long‑run average of 105.9.
- About a third of firms expect weaker business over the next year, led by pessimism in media, construction, transport and retail.
- Companies flag risks in the policy framework (68.2%), domestic demand (57.1%) and labor costs (50.9%).
- Plans stay tight: 51.8% will hold investment, 26.2% cut and 22% raise, with spending skewed to replacement and rationalisation; six in ten foresee flat headcounts and more plan cuts than hires.
- Exports stand out as a relative positive, with nearly one third of exporters expecting growth in 2026, based on 601 responses gathered Dec 11–Jan 12 before newer geopolitical and tariff tensions; chamber chief Malte Heyne urges faster approvals and infrastructure upgrades.