Economists fear rising number of "zombie companies" in Germany: survey

BERLIN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- A large majority of economists -- 86 percent -- surveyed by the ifo Institute believed that the number of "zombie companies" in Germany, businesses that are economically unviable, increased at least moderately since March when the COVID-19 crisis hit the country, the ifo Institute announced on Monday.

Many economists viewed the suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency, which was extended until the end of the year by the German government, as a cause for the emergence of such zombie companies.