Economic situation: Ifo: Sentiment in the auto industry is jumping

The index jumps by almost 30 points. For the first time in more than two years, the assessment of the current situation is turning positive. According to an expert, there is no reason to give the all-clear.

The mood in the German auto industry rose sharply in October.

Munich. Even though there has been bad news again recently, the mood in the German auto industry rose sharply in October. The index collected by the Munich Ifo Institute jumped from minus 33.2 to minus 4.1 points. This is the best value since mid-2024. The sub-index for the current situation is actually positive for the first time since then.

Expectations also improved - although not quite as much as the assessment of the current situation. The pessimists still predominate here - although not nearly as strongly as before. “However, there can be no question of the all-clear in the automotive industry, because the strong monthly fluctuations in the business climate indicate a very high level of uncertainty in the industry,” says Ifo industry expert Anita Wölfl.

In their opinion, one reason for the better values ​​could be the agreement between France and Germany on a common automotive strategy. Wölfl sees this as just a brief sigh of relief for the industry. “The agreement gives the auto industry a certain window of time,” she says. “However, it does not change the industry’s central challenge of catching up to the top in technology competition.”

The results of the US midterm elections may not have played a role in the survey, which took place in October.

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