War in Ukraine:

The ongoing conflict continued to demand international attention and humanitarian aid. Middle East conflict: Tensions over Israel escalated again, accompanied by military clashes.

Syria:

The ongoing uncertainties following the fall of the Assad regime and the complex geopolitical situation are leading to a dynamic situation that is difficult to predict.

Economic growth:

The European economy recorded moderate growth of 1.0%, while the eurozone recorded growth of 0.8%.

Inflation:

After peaking in 2022, inflation in the EU fell significantly and is expected to fall to 2.7% this year and to 2.2% in 2025.c

Gross domestic product (GDP):

The German economy stagnated, with a forecast decline in price-adjusted GDP of 0.1% compared to the previous year.

Automotive industry:

The sector recorded a 4.7% decline in turnover in the first half of 2024 (excluding the supplier industry) compared to the previous year, but remains the industry with the highest turnover, accounting for a quarter of total industry turnover. Even worse figures are expected for the second half of the year.