Country focus: Germany | Features

The German economy at a glance
	2007	2008
GDP growth	2.50%	+1.7%**
Consumer price inflation	2.30%	+3.3% ***
Producer prices	2.10%	+8.9% ***
Average gross earnings	1.50%	+2.5% *
Average earnings, wage earners	1.50%	+2.5% *
Average earnings, salaried staff	1.20%
Unemployment	8.40%	7.7% ***
Retail sales		+3.8% ****
Private consumer spending	0.00%	+0.1% *
Imports	8.40%	+7.7% ****
Industrial production	5.50%	-1.5% ****
Labour costs	1.00%	+2.6% *

Construction industry
Turnover total	3.50%	3.00%
Turnover, residential buildings	-5.80%
Turnover, private non-residential	2.30%
Turnover, public non-residential	1.70%
Productivity	5.90%	3.30%
Incoming orders (total)	4.20%	0.20%
Incoming orders, buildings	0.80%	1.80%
Incoming orders, civil engineering	8.10%	-1.00%
Backlog of orders (total)	7.50%	+8.3%*
Backlog of orders, buildings	6.80%	+5.5%*
Backlog of orders, civil engineering	8.50%	+11.6%*
Employment	0.50%	-2.1%*
Sales of cement	2.50%
Tender prices , residential	7.20%	2.50%
Tender prices, non-residential	7.40%	2.70%
Tender prices, civil engineering	7.10%	2.80%
Labour costs		+2.6%*****
Materials costs	4.93	6.9
*1st quarter 2008
**2nd quarter 2008
***July 2008
****May 2008