The AHK World Business Outlook is based on a regular DIHK survey of member companies of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad, delegations and representative offices (AHKs). In fall 2025, it collected feedback from over 3,500 German companies, branches and subsidiaries worldwide, as well as companies with close ties to Germany. The survey was conducted from 29 September to 17 October 2025. Forty-one percent of the companies that responded are in the manufacturing industry and construction sectors, 40 percent are in the service sector and a further 19 percent are trading companies. Smaller companies with fewer than 100 employees account for 48 percent of the responses. 26 percent of the companies employ between 100 and 1,000 people. Large companies with more than 1,000 employees account for 26 percent of respondents worldwide. 50 percent are subsidiaries/branches of German companies, 37 percent are local or (non-German) international companies without a branch in Germany, and a further 13 percent are local or
