Germany's economic slowdown closely linked to problems in the automotive sector - ING

Analysts at ING believe the German economy appears to be stuck between solid domestic fundamentals and external risks. 

• "Cars have played and will continue to play an important role in this situation and among the multiple explanations for the problems in the automotive sector, surprisingly is China. Understanding recent developments in the Chinese automotive market is an important piece of the puzzle in comprehending the outlook for the German automotive market.
• The delayed introduction of the new emissions standard - the worldwide light vehicles test procedure, or WLTP - and delays in complying with these new standards led to severe disruptions in German automotive production and delivery. The US-China trade war and subsequent slowdown of the Chinese economy have also contributed to Germany's car problems.
• The Chinese market is the most important market for the majority of German car manufacturers. In 2018, almost one-quarter of all cars sold in China were German. BMW and Daimler sold more than one-third of their total car sales in China. For Volkswagen, the share is even bigger at 40%.
• Looking ahead, things aren't looking too good for German car manufacturers. New car sales in China have fallen for 13 months in a row, a slump that started in the second half of 2018 when the trade war between China and the US began to heat up. 
• So, we think the current crumbling of the Chinese car market appears to be a simultaneous combination of cyclical factors, one-off effects and structural changes.
• And for the German economy, it's not actually the trade conflict that is most concerning but the structural shifts in the Chinese automotive market, which could turn out to be one of the biggest threats in the years ahead."