Germany expects growth this year to be significantly weaker than predicted, as the lingering effects of the pandemic and a supply squeeze hinder a revival of Europe’s biggest economy. The cut in the 2021 outlook to 2.6% — compared with a prediction of 3.5% published at the end of April — reflects a scarcity in some raw materials and rising energy prices, particularly for gas, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said Wednesday in an interview with ARD television. The government expects a “boom” to take effect only next year, and has raised its forecast for 2022 GDP growth to above 4% from 3.6%, added Altmaier, who is due to present the new outlook at a news conference at 11 a.m. in Berlin. “The precondition is that we stabilize international supply chains, and, for […]