Nearly 5,000 German companies filed for insolvency between April and June 2026, according to data released by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) on July 9. That’s the highest quarterly total in more than two decades, and a 9% increase from Q1 2026.
The numbers paint a grim picture
The Q2 total came in at 4,996 insolvencies. June alone accounted for 1,702 filings, a 12% jump from May and a 20% surge compared to June 2025.
That June figure sits roughly 80% above the monthly average recorded between 2016 and 2019.
Steffen Müller, head of insolvency research at IWH, described the levels as “exceptionally high.” He noted that indicators of continued economic weakness persist despite some recent stabilization in certain metrics.
