{"id":58952,"date":"2026-02-23T04:38:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/german-manufacturing-rebound-boosts-business-confidence-as-johnson-matthey-shares-crater\/58952\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T04:38:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:38:27","slug":"german-manufacturing-rebound-boosts-business-confidence-as-johnson-matthey-shares-crater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/german-manufacturing-rebound-boosts-business-confidence-as-johnson-matthey-shares-crater\/58952\/","title":{"rendered":"German Manufacturing Rebound Boosts Business Confidence as Johnson Matthey Shares Crater"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>German manufacturing has returned to growth for the first time since mid-2022<\/strong>, with the February PMI breaching the <strong>50.0 expansion threshold<\/strong> and lifting broader business confidence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Johnson Matthey (<a href=\"\/stock\/JMAT\">JMAT<\/a>) shares plummeted 13.2%<\/strong> after the company slashed the sale price of its catalyst technologies unit to <strong>Honeywell<\/strong> by nearly <strong>\u00a3500 million<\/strong> to salvage the deal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PostNL (<a href=\"\/stock\/PNL\">PNL<\/a>) climbed 5.2%<\/strong> following a strong Q4 performance and a 2026 outlook projecting <strong>double-digit revenue growth<\/strong> and significant cost-saving measures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Switzerland&#39;s M3 money supply growth accelerated to 5.1%<\/strong> in January, up from <strong>4.6%<\/strong> in December, indicating a notable increase in domestic liquidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>German Industrial Optimism Returns<\/h2>\n<p>Business confidence in Germany is showing signs of a significant turnaround as managers express renewed optimism following a long-awaited recovery in the industrial sector. For the first time since mid-2022, domestic manufacturing has returned to expansionary territory, a development that is expected to be reflected in the upcoming <strong>Ifo Business Climate Index<\/strong> release.<\/p>\n<p>The recent <strong>HCOB Flash Germany Manufacturing PMI<\/strong> reached <strong>50.7 in February<\/strong>, up from <strong>49.1 in January<\/strong>, signaling the end of a multi-year contraction. <em>Analysts suggest that this recovery is being driven by a surge in domestic industrial orders and increased public spending on infrastructure and defense.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Johnson Matthey Crumbles on Slashed Deal Price<\/h2>\n<p>Shares of Johnson Matthey (<a href=\"\/stock\/JMAT\">JMAT<\/a>) were the biggest laggards in European trading, falling <strong>13.2%<\/strong> after the company revised the terms of its divestment strategy. The specialty chemicals firm agreed to cut the sale price of its catalyst technologies business to <strong>Honeywell<\/strong> to <strong>\u00a31.33 billion<\/strong>, down from the <strong>\u00a31.8 billion<\/strong> originally agreed upon in May.<\/p>\n<p>The price reduction was reportedly necessary to prevent Honeywell from walking away from the transaction due to regulatory concerns and shifting business milestones. Consequently, the expected shareholder return from the deal has been reduced from <strong>\u00a31.6 billion to \u00a31 billion<\/strong>, severely dampening investor sentiment despite the company reaffirming its full-year operating profit guidance.<\/p>\n<h2>PostNL Leads Gainers on Robust Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>In the logistics sector, PostNL (<a href=\"\/stock\/PNL\">PNL<\/a>) saw its shares rise <strong>5.2%<\/strong> after delivering a strong <strong>Q4 earnings report<\/strong>. The Dutch postal service provider announced that it expects <strong>2026 to be a pivotal year<\/strong>, targeting revenue growth between <strong>5% and 7%<\/strong> and cost savings of up to <strong>\u20ac40 million<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The company is currently executing its &quot;Breakthrough 2028&quot; strategy, which involves a structural split of its parcels business into <strong>E-commerce and Platforms<\/strong> segments. <em>Investors reacted positively to the company&#39;s ability to offset organic cost increases through targeted yield measures and price hikes.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Swiss Monetary Growth and Other Market Movers<\/h2>\n<p>Data from the <strong>Swiss National Bank<\/strong> showed that Switzerland\u2019s <strong>M3 money supply<\/strong> grew by <strong>5.1% year-on-year<\/strong> in January, accelerating from the <strong>4.6%<\/strong> recorded in the previous month. This increase in broad money suggests rising liquidity within the Swiss economy, though it may also prompt closer scrutiny from policymakers regarding inflationary pressures.<\/p>\n<p>Other notable movers in the European session included <strong>JD Sports (<a href=\"\/stock\/JD.\">JD.<\/a>)<\/strong>, which gained <strong>2.4%<\/strong>, while <strong>Belimo (<a href=\"\/stock\/BEAN\">BEAN<\/a>)<\/strong> shares fell <strong>6.1%<\/strong>. Despite reporting record sales for 2025, Belimo&#39;s outlook remained cautious, noting that a material recovery in the critical German construction market is not yet anticipated for 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways German manufacturing has returned to growth for the first time since mid-2022, with the February PMI breaching the 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