The "Wise Five" group lowers its forecast for German economic growth to zero.

 

Berlin

The "Wise Five" group lowers its forecast for German economic growth to zero.

The "Wise Five," a key advisory body to the German government, on Wednesday lowered its 2025 economic growth forecast to zero, the latest negative assessment of the country's struggling economy, which has been in recession for two consecutive years.

Last November, the five-member German Council of Economic Experts, known as the "Wise Five," had forecast GDP growth of 0.4% this year.

The council, in Berlin, said the German economy is still facing a clear phase of weakness, according to the German news agency dpa.

While experts forecast 1% GDP growth in 2026, they said it is uncertain that Germany will return to its path of economic success in the medium and long term.

The experts' forecasts are in line with the government's latest projections for 2025, which the previous administration had lowered to zero in April.