Mercedes, Porsche and Nel ASA confront major strategic shifts in Germany

Mercedes‑Benz announced plans to end home‑office arrangements and to raise the standard weekly working time from 35 to up to 40 hours without additional pay. The company also postponed a special payment of 18.4 % of a month’s salary for about 90,000 German employees from July 2026 to April 2027. The measures are part of the “Next Level Performance” cost‑cutting programme aimed at saving €5 billion by 2027, and triggered protests by roughly 33,000 workers at ten sites on 3 July 2026.

Porsche said it will cease production of the internal‑combustion‑engine Macan SUV this summer, offering only electric versions thereafter. The move follows the earlier launch of the Cayenne Electric and reflects a shift toward electrification, although the company has hinted that a combustion‑engine Macan could return on a new platform in about two years.

Nel ASA’s shares have slipped to the €0.20 support level on the Stuttgart exchange, testing a key technical barrier. The stock has lost about 14 % over the past month, with a weak medium‑term trend and heightened volatility driven by short‑term trader activity rather than new fundamentals. Analysts note the company’s market capitalisation of under €400 million limits its relevance for large institutional portfolios.