April 9, 2024 (EIRNS)—February data from Germany’s Federal Office of Statistics show a 4.9% drop in industrial production year-on-year, yet the government and mainstream media are celebrating it, because, after a seven-month decline, there was a 2.1% increase over January’s data.
Also, foreign trade declined, with a €21.4 billion surplus in February, versus a €27.4 billion surplus in January. The decline occurred in EU countries, while non-EU trade increased slightly. Further, a key indicator of economic activity, the Manufacturing Purchasing Manager Index (PMI), has been below 50 and declining for over a year, reflecting the harm from Green and War policies in the contraction of the economy.
