In June 2022, ICT companies assessed their overall business situation as very good. Bitkom-Ifo Digital IndexThe business climate index, which reflects the current situation and future expectations, rose by 2.3 points to 22.8 points – the same level as before the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, business expectations in the digital sector for the next six months remain subdued: The corresponding value is only just in positive territory at 2.9 points. In January, shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the corresponding value was 19.0 points.
Sales increase expected in the digital sector
The ICT industry is robust despite the tense global situation: For 2022, Bitkom For IT, telecommunications, and consumer electronics companies, revenue increased by 4.3 percent to 189.4 billion euros. By the end of the year, 1.3 million people are expected to be employed in the digital sector, a good 30,000 more than in the previous year.
"The current global situation is plunging from one crisis to the next, and the corresponding uncertainties are mutually reinforcing each other. The coronavirus lockdowns in China are repeatedly disrupting supply chains, the Russian war of aggression has caused energy prices to explode, and inflation is putting pressure on businesses and households alike,"
says Bitkom President Achim Berg.
"Despite the increasing uncertainties, the challenge of rapidly and comprehensively digitizing business and administration remains. Many companies have recognized the paramount importance of resilient IT in these times. While it was the consumer sector that led the charge in the early years of the pandemic, industry growth is now driven by corporate investments."
