Germany’s services sector returned to growth in September 2026, with the S&P Global Germany Services PMI rising to 52.9 from 49.7 in August and reaching a seven-month high. The reading was also well above the market expectation of 50, signalling a renewed expansion in business activity after five consecutive months of contraction. New business accelerated at its fastest pace in almost a year, while outstanding business increased for a second consecutive month. The accumulation of unfinished orders and projects was the strongest since May 2022, indicating improving demand and pressure on capacity. Service providers also increased hiring during the month. On the price front, inflation accelerated as services firms raised prices more sharply. Despite the stronger activity and demand indicators, business sentiment weakened slightly in September, suggesting some caution about the outlook.