Germany, Europe's largest economy, has entered a recession due to the impact of inflation and higher interest rates, according to official figures released on Thursday. The federal statistics agency, Destatis, reported a contraction of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2023, revising down its initial estimate of zero percent.
This marks the second consecutive quarter of negative growth for Germany, meeting the criteria for a "technical recession," following a 0.5 percent contraction in the final quarter of 2022. The downturn can be attributed to the surge in energy prices caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has adversely affected households and businesses.
The increased cost of energy has led to inflation, with Germany experiencing an inflation rate of 7.2 percent in April, only slightly lower than its peak at the end of 2022. Destatis stated that the persistently high price increases continued to weigh on the German economy in the early months of the year. As a result, consumers have reduced their spending on essential items such as food and clothing.
The downward revision of the growth figure was not unexpected, given the series of weak economic indicators observed recently. Jens-Oliver Niklasch, an analyst at LBBW bank, noted that early indicators suggest a continuation of the weak performance in the second quarter of 2023.
Germany's heavy reliance on Russian energy imports left the country particularly vulnerable after the Russian invasion in February of the previous year. The disruption in gas supplies compelled Berlin to search for alternative energy sources and replenish reserves ahead of an anticipated harsh winter in 2022.
Carsten Brzeski, head of macro at ING bank, acknowledged that the recession was not as severe as the worst-case scenario predicted after the Russian invasion. However, factors such as reduced purchasing power, diminished industrial order books, and the impact of the European Central Bank's aggressive monetary policy tightening are expected to further drag down the economy. Brzeski also mentioned that the anticipated slowdown in the US economy and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine would add to the challenges faced by Germany.
These figures pose a concern for policymakers in Berlin, who had recently raised their economic growth forecast for 2023 to 0.4 percent, reflecting early optimism. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously expressed confidence in the country's ability to avert a severe economic contraction. It is worth noting that Germany's previous recession occurred at the beginning of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe, leading to widespread economic shutdowns.
