DATEV MITTELSTANDSINDEX
Signs of easing in the employment trend
The DATEV SME turnover index shows a decline of 0.5 points to 91.6 points in a seasonally and calendar-adjusted comparison with the previous month. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to a decline of 0.9 percent. The decline in turnover in August continues to weaken compared to the previous months. Nevertheless, almost all sectors continued to record declines in turnover. The hospitality and retail sectors once again recorded increasing declines in turnover. In contrast, the manufacturing industry experienced a slight increase in turnover. Micro-enterprises in particular are suffering from declines in turnover, small companies remain virtually unchanged and medium-sized companies are reporting increases in turnover. The economic situation in the German SME sector remains tense.
Adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, the wage index rose by 0.1 points to 114.9 points in August. This corresponds to a nominal wage increase of 3.7% compared to the previous year. Even though wage and salary growth is weakening in line with expectations, wage and salary growth continues to outpace general price trends.
The employment index stagnated in August at 101.8 points, adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to an increase of 0.1%. The figures indicate that the employment decline bottomed out in April 2025. In August, there was a slight increase in employment for the third month in a row, particularly among medium-sized companies. At micro and small companies, the ongoing decline in employment is slowing steadily.
