German Corporate Insolvencies Hit 13-Year High Despite Economic Recovery
Overview of 2026 German Insolvency Trends
Corporate Insolvency Statistics
BERLIN, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The number of corporate insolvencies in Germany rose to a 13-year high in the first half of 2026 despite signs of a nascent recovery in Europe's largest economy, figures from the federal statistics office showed on Friday.
Local courts reported 12,812 corporate insolvency filings from January to June, an increase of 6.7% year-on-year, with transportation and warehousing the most affected sectors.
Historical Context and Sector Impact
• The last time a higher figure was recorded for the first half was in 2013, with 13,253 cases.
• Local courts estimated creditors' claims arising from the corporate insolvencies at around €18.5 billion ($21.5 billion). That is significantly less than the €28.2 billion reported for the same period last year, when more economically significant companies went insolvent.
Consumer Insolvencies and Economic Outlook
• Consumer insolvencies also rose slightly, by 2.4%, for a total of 38,932 cases.
• Germany's economy has recently regained its footing, expanded more strongly in the second quarter than initially estimated, while business morale rose to its highest level in a year in August.
Exchange Rate and Reporting Credits
($1 = 0.8615 euros)
(Reporting by Rene Wagner, writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Thomas Seythal)
