Questions, Measures, and Meaning: Interpreting Indicators from the ifo Business Survey

Felix Leiss, Stefan Sauer and Klaus Wohlrabe

No 12094, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: In addition to the well-known ifo Business Climate Index for Germany, the ifo Business Survey generates a wide range of further indicators based on monthly responses from around 9,000 companies across all major sectors. These indicators capture current business conditions, expectations, constraints, and sector-specific developments, and many have proven to be valuable leading signals for macroeconomic analysis. This paper provides a systematic guide to interpreting these indicators. We explain the main types of survey questions, outline the methods used to transform responses into economically meaningful measures, and highlight key aspects to consider when interpreting results. Practical examples illustrate how the indicators can be applied in economic analysis, policy advice, and business decision-making.

Keywords: ifo Business Survey; business climate; economic indicators; interpretation guide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C01 C82 C83 O11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12094

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