On the economic conditions in the capital region

• The market conditions in the Berlin-Brandenburg economic region have clearly improved in comparison to the previous year.
  
• The situation faced by companies in both Berlin and Brandenburg has stabilized and even improved to a certain extent.
  
• Company forecasts suggest that this positive trend will continue in 2006.
  
• And they are confident of further economic development in the Berlin-Brandenburg economic region.
  
• The economic indicators have not been this high for the past ten years.
  
• This optimism is primarily experienced by the Berlin economy.

• The processing industry continues to grow and is an important pillar for the economic development of the region as a whole.
  
• The business situation for service providers has also improved significantly in comparison to 2004.
  
• Berlin's traders predominantly rate the business situation as positive.
  
• Industrial companies reckon on increasing turnover and good export figures in 2006.
  
• Berlin's traders expect good business activity and increasing sales.
  
• Exports are still the most important growth factor for the Berlin-Brandenburg capital region.
  
• Export volumes also increased significantly in 2005.
  
• In the period from January and November 2005 the volume of exports by industrial companies in the region rose by almost 5 percent in comparison to the previous year.

• 82 percent of companies in Berlin and Brandenburg cooperate intensively with business partners in the respective partner state.
  
• That's an increase of approximately 4 percent over 2005
  
• Only 18 percent do not maintain any business relations with companies in respective other state.
  
• Thanks to its geographical location, companies in Berlin are more closely interlinked than those in the Brandenburg economy.
  
• However, the business connections between Brandenburg companies on the Berlin market have grown continuously for many years.