Ifo: German Electronic Material Shortages Increase in October

11:05 AM EST, 11/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Material shortage bottlenecks are increasing among companies in the German electronics industry in October, as global demand for electronic components rises amid an expansion of infrastructure related to artificial intelligence, the ifo Institute said Friday. The percentage of German data processing equipment and electronic and optical product manufacturers that reported bottlenecks increased to 41.5% in October from 37.8% in September, according to an ifo business survey. "The global AI boom could make it increasingly difficult to procure electronic components. When it comes to key components, companies are competing with major technology companies for limited production capacities," said Klaus Wohlrabe, ifo's head of surveys. Meanwhile, companies across the German industry that reported a lack of intermediate products rose to 15.6% from 14.6% in the previous month. Those in the automotive industry and in mechanical engineering saw an increase in bottlenecks, while manufacturers in the chemical sector logged a decline.