Women's giant slalom in Semmering Storm warning lifted Sources Prediction that unemployment numbers will drop in 1999 Hamburg. In the opinion of leading economic research institutes, unemployment numbers in Germany will drop noticeably in the coming year. The researchers still do not see reason for euphoria because in 1999 economic growth will be significantly slower than this year. Prospects are not bright for the winter semester in particular.
Businesses enter the New Year with skepticism Cologne.
The mood about the New Year is skeptical among German businesses. The German Industry Institute said that disturbances in the world economy as well as insecurity about the direction of new economic politics are dampening the present mood as well as the expectations for 1999. Half of the 42 branches of industry interviewed expect a further reduction of the work force. Export oriented industries in particular view the economic development more negatively than a year ago. In the building industry in Western Germany, the four year downturn seems to be coming to an end, although there are still no signs for an upswing.