German economy powers into year-end despite government impasse: BuBa

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The German economy is powering into the end of the year thanks to strong industrial activity and firms are increasingly struggling to find workers to satisfy orders, the country’s central bank said on Monday.

The upbeat assessment showed Europe’s largest economy had so far shrugged off the political impasse that followed inconclusive elections in September and looked set to continue on Monday as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s efforts to form a coalition government collapsed.

So far, Germany’s influential central bank said a strong influx of new orders suggested manufacturing was driving economic growth.

“Buoyed by the boom in industrial activity, the German economy is likely to remain on a strongly expansionary path in the final quarter of 2017, too,” the Bundesbank said in its monthly report.

If anything, the main hurdle to producing more was a shortage of labor, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

“A growing shortage of skilled labor could place greater constraints on continued strong output growth in future,” the Bundesbank said.

“Ultimately, the extremely positive labor market environment and the fact that income prospects remain upbeat will ensure that private consumption stimulates domestic activity,” it added.

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