The world's second-largest economy cannot emerge from its period of weakness. New economic data show: Industry and services are sliding further into the downturn, and economists warn that without decisive measures, a turnaround will not succeed.

Hardly any technology topic moves the markets as strongly as Artificial Intelligence. Since the launch of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, one growth forecast follows the next – and one company stands at the center like no other: NVIDIA. At the same time, the loudest warnings now come ironically from the innermost circle of the AI industry.

The Bundeswehr is in the midst of one of its central modernization projects, and ironically, this large-scale project is currently undermining the operational capability of the troops. Approximately eleven billion euros are intended to make the land forces digitally fit. However, instead of improved command capabilities, the army is experiencing a phase of reduced operational readiness because new technology is being installed that has not yet proven reliable in practice.

The future of the Transparent Factory in Dresden seems to be decided: According to media reports, the site is to be developed into an innovation campus. A spokesman for the Saxon State Chancellery confirmed that a corresponding declaration of intent has already been signed between the Free State of Saxony, Volkswagen, and TU Dresden.

The mood among German medium-sized businesses remains tense. While many companies assess their current situation slightly better than in the spring, the outlook continues to deteriorate. A new survey by DZ Bank and the National Association of Cooperative Banks shows: The willingness to invest has fallen to its lowest level since the financial crisis of 2009.

Katharina Reiche (CDU), Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy in Friedrich Merz's cabinet, is using the coalition's pension compromise as a starting point for a significantly larger reform debate. In an interview with Welt am Sonntag, she makes it clear: Politics must not be satisfied with cosmetic corrections – and companies are also obliged to contribute.

Airbus faces a massive technical challenge: Around 6,000 aircraft from the A320 family can only continue flying if an urgent software inspection is conducted. The cause is an incident that showed that intense sunlight can distort sensitive control data – a risk that Airbus now needs to mitigate globally.

The fashion company HUGO BOSS is experiencing unrest at the top of its supervisory board. A mandatory announcement on Friday evening is causing conflicting signals – and slight uncertainty in the market. The stock declined slightly in after-hours trading.

Alongside Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch is considered one of the greatest investors of our time. However, even someone like him looks back with a certain regret at opportunities he did not seize. In a CNBC interview, the investment icon spoke unusually openly about which stocks he would have liked to have in his portfolio today.

The night at the Chancellery was long and politically decisive. At 2:30 AM, the leaders of CDU, CSU, and SPD agreed on a package that aims to resolve three of the most contentious political issues: pension reform, the phase-out of internal combustion engines, and the promotion of hybrid and electric vehicles. However, at the center is a political deal that prevented the coalition from breaking apart: a commitment to the pension package and the prospect of a second, more profound pension reform.

With an unusually aggressive discount campaign, DA Direkt, a subsidiary of the Zurich Group, is making headlines and drawing significant criticism from the insurance industry. While many providers are raising their car insurance premiums due to high claims costs and inflation, the direct insurer is introducing a 20-percent discount week. For brokers, industry experts, and even the financial supervisory authority, this does not seem appropriate at the present time.

In December, Microsoft is rolling out an update for Teams that brings a sensitive innovation: the software will soon be able to automatically indicate whether a user is in the office or working from home. Data protection advocates are raising alarms, labor lawyers are warning of potential violations, and companies must determine whether and how they can use this feature in compliance with legal requirements. Here are the most important questions and answers.

The figures are clear, the consequences dramatic: Fewer and fewer people in Germany are making the leap into their own homes. What was once considered a cornerstone of middle-class security is now becoming a privilege of the financially advantaged. A comprehensive analysis shows why the homeownership rate is declining, wealth inequality is growing, and why even middle-class families hardly have realistic chances of owning a home.

BYD is already a global power—only in Germany has it been hardly visible until now. The Chinese e-mobility giant now aims to radically change this. With a combination of technological superiority, massive expansion, and a strategic hybrid offensive, BYD plans to achieve a decisive breakthrough in Europe's most important automotive market.

Meag is consistently continuing its course towards digital infrastructure and is launching a new fund for European data centers with the "Meag Volante DC Investor SCSp." The demand for computing power is increasing rapidly—AI models, cloud applications, and data streams are booming. Accordingly, Meag positions itself as a provider of institutional infrastructure investments with a long-term character.