The latest AHK World Business Outlook Fall 2024 survey, conducted among German companies in Malaysia, has revealed strong optimism for 2025. According to the survey, 92% of German businesses in Malaysia described their current performance as “good or satisfactory,” marking a significant 10% increase from last year.
Looking ahead, the outlook for 2025 is overwhelmingly positive, with 97% of respondents forecasting a favourable or stable future. This marks a significant boost in confidence, surpassing expectations from the previous year, and highlights the resilience of Malaysia’s economy.
Over 63% of companies expect positive business development in the next 12 months, while 35% anticipate that the current stability will be maintained. Only 1.8% predict a decline in performance, underscoring the predominantly positive sentiment.
Investment intentions also reflect this optimism, with 40% of companies planning to increase their investments in the coming year. Employment plans are equally promising, with nearly half of the German companies in Malaysia intending to hire more staff, while 47% plan to maintain their current workforce.
However, the survey also identified potential challenges for the year ahead. Respondents highlighted issues such as demand fluctuations, economic policy conditions, and the lack of skilled workers as areas requiring attention.
Jan Noether, Executive Director of the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC), commented, “The strong sentiment and optimism reflected in the survey highlight the positive situation we are experiencing here and underscore our confidence in Malaysia’s economic stability and growth prospects.”
The survey, conducted between Sept 23 and Oct 16 2024, included responses from 111 MGCC member companies, primarily from the manufacturing, trade, and services sectors.
