The global automotive industry is weakening, with German carmakers experiencing a continued decline in earnings during the first half of the year, according to a study by auditing and consulting firm EY released on Friday. German car giants Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz collectively earned €25.9 billion ($28.9 billion) in operating profit (EBIT) from January to June, marking an 18% decrease compared to the same period last year. EY evaluated the financial figures of the 16 largest car manufacturers worldwide for the analysis. Although the sales of all groups rose by 3.7% to over €1 trillio…