READ ALSO: German blames Brexit and trade wars for failing growth prospectsThese global conflicts are striking particularly hard at Germany’s export-oriented industry. According to Uwe Burkert, chief economist of the Landesbank Baden-Wüttemberg (LBBW), “It’s going to be a difficult year. Germany will not be able to escape that.”Still, there is cause for some optimism for employees, consumers, industry, and banks. READ ALSO: German unemployment at lowest level since reunificationMany companies, especially small and medium-sized firms, are still desperately searching for skilled workers. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) expects that industrial production in Germany has shrunk by a total of four percent in 2019.

Source: The Local December 10, 2019 10:43 UTC