Daily Briefing 14.08.2026, 12:22 (CEST)

German blue chips post record quarterly profits but cut 41,000 jobs

Germany's 40 blue-chip DAX companies posted record second-quarter operating profits while cutting more than 40,000 jobs, according to a study by consultancy EY released on Friday.

German farmers expect poor harvest as heat and drought persist

Farmers in Germany expect a below-average harvest this year due to persistent heat and drought, with some crops in southern regions at risk of complete failure, the head of the country's fa...

Zverev makes surprise return to Germany's Davis Cup team

German tennis star Alexander Zverev is making a surprising return to Germany's Davis Cup team for the second qualifying round.

Germany's Neugebauer wins first European decathlon title

German world champion Leo Neugebauer won his first European decathlon title on Thursday after a dramatic 1,500-metre finish, scoring 8,611 points for gold.

Merz upholds fight for democracy, 65 years after Berlin Wall built

On the 65th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Thursday for the defence of freedom and democracy.

EU allows VW sale of majority share of Everllence to US investor

The European Commission has allowed German carmaker Volkswagen to sell a majority stake in its large-scale engine subsidiary Everllence.

Left-leaning bloc gains ground ahead of eastern German state election

The chances of a left-wing coalition in the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are growing despite gains for the far right, according to a poll published on Thursday - just over...

Estimate: Drought leading to significantly smaller harvest in Germany

A prolonged drought across large parts of Germany has dealt a heavy blow to this summer's harvest, with around 3 million metric tons of grain and rapeseed lost since mid-June, according to ...

Study: Germany's top executives earn 42 times average worker

Pay for managers at Germany's top listed companies rose again in 2025, with executives at the 40 companies in the DAX stock index earning an average of just over €3.9 million ($4.5 million)...

German far-right leader offers to back left-wing populist as premier

Far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) firebrand Björn Höcke has offered to back left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht as premier in the central state of Thuringia, in a move that could cha...