The Eurozone's industrial sector continues to grapple with a persistent recession, marked by a stagnant Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of 45.8 in August, according to S&P Global’s latest report. This figure, unchanged from July, signals ongoing contraction, as any reading below 50 indicates economic shrinkage.

August saw a steep decline in new orders, the sharpest of the year, prompting further reductions in procurement, employment, and inventories. The outlook for the industry has also darkened, with business expectations plunging to a five-month low.

Germany, the Eurozone's industrial powerhouse, is particularly hard-hit. The PMI for its manufacturing sector dropped to 42.4 in August, down from 43.2 the previous month, reflecting a worsening recession. Expectations for a slight improvement were unmet, with order volumes, purchasing activity, and employment all declining more sharply than anticipated.

The ongoing energy policies and sanctions against Russia are exacerbating the situation, adding to the strain on the industrial landscape.

Considering the importance of industry for a more complex, highly developed economy, which ultimately has to finance all the benefits that politicians promise, it is all the more dramatic to watch the decline of Germany, the heart of European industry. At its peak in recent years, German industry accounted for around 27% of total eurozone industry, and now this country's ideological green apocalyptic solo effort is acting like a sinker for everyone else. Nolens volens, Germany is fueling the centrifugal forces of the old continent with its strange energy policy.