First Trust Germany AlphaDEX Fund

FGM

Market cap $98M

The German government plans an energy cost relief package for businesses and consumers worth €13.3 billion ($15.2 billion) in 2027, to be drawn from the Climate ​and Transformation Fund (KTF), the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined a package of pension, tax and labour reforms on Thursday, along with measures to cut red tape that he said would boost growth, jobs and competitiveness while ​maintaining social welfare protections.

Income expectations picked up, but only slightly, and consumers remained less optimistic about their future financial than before the Middle East conflict.

The number of people employed in ​German industry in 2025 fell to a ‌10-year low of just 6.6 million workers, a study by the German ​Economic Institute (IW) showed on ​Thursday.

Investor confidence improved unexpectedly sharply on hopes the conflict in the Middle East would end soon and energy prices would drop.

Germany may face around €1 billion euros in additional budget costs after ​the European Commission allowed stronger electricity ‌price relief for industry than previously expected, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche told Handelsblatt on Tuesday.

An independent advisory panel urged the German government on Tuesday to channel more ​money from its €500 billion ($578.30 billion) infrastructure fund ‌into future-focused areas, including research and development, digitalisation and energy infrastructure.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and ​French President Emmanuel Macron ‌have concluded that the companies involved in ​building a joint ​fighter jet are unable to ⁠reach an agreement, ​two German government officials ​told Reuters on Monday.

The DAX in Germany spent most of the week selling, as the interest rates around the world continue to show concerns out there as the situation in the Middle East continues to be a major factor.

Asset manager Jupiter has been buying European government bonds, particularly shorter-dated German ​debt, and reducing exposure to U.S. Treasuries ‌because they think the market is pricing in too many rate hikes from the European Central ​Bank and Bank of England.