Germany economy · April 2026

Porsche's global sales fell 15% in the quarter, driven by a sharp drop in demand in China and the United States, with the luxury carmaker facing challenges in key markets and competition from Chinese automakers. Lufthansa reached a wage deal with the Verdi union for its new subsidiary, ending a strike that had disrupted hundreds of flights at Frankfurt Airport. The German cybersecurity agency warned that AI vulnerability search could undermine cyber defenses. Canada's Cohere and Germany's Aleph Alpha are in merger talks, according to Handelsblatt. The port of Antwerp reopened to North Sea shipping after an oil spill, while North Sea crude soared to a record high amid the Iran conflict's impact on the Strait of Hormuz.