Sputtering engine: Germany's sluggish economy (e-journal)

Germany continues to suffer from anemic economic growth. In 2004, the German economy grew at disappointing 1.7 percent, and German analysts have forecast 2005 growth at 0.7 percent. This low growth reflects Germany's large structural difficulties hampering its long-term economic expansion. German labor markets must become more flexible, and a weakening corporate sector must be revived. While th…