March 14, 2010, 23:02 CET
Help on the time series data base
On these pages, the Deutsche Bundesbank has posted time series for downloading.
Please note the following
- This service is best accessed using a Javascript-enabled browser
- The download function requires that your browser accept cookies
- We recommend using the conventional browser versions
The time series database is extended on a regularly basis. Please direct any inquiries to the press department of the Deutsche Bundesbank and include the time series key or content you are referring to in the subject field.
Structure of the time series data base
The time series are summarised in lists, which, in turn, are categorised in a tree structure.
From the start page, you can search this tree for the desired list. Open the time series list by clicking on it. There, click on the time series of your choice to display it as an HTML page.
Display of a time series
The following attributes of a time series are shown:
| Attribute | Definition | Possible value |
|---|---|---|
| Unit | Unit in which the time series value is entered. | eg DM, euro, DM/euro, 1995=100 |
| Unit multiplier | Factor by which the data must be multiplied in order to attain the actual value. | Ten, hundred, thousand, …, billion |
| Timespan | First and last dates entered | eg from 2000-01 to 2000-12 |
| Last update | Timestamp of last update | eg 2005-05-24, 12:00 |
In addition, general comments or comments on source, methodology or specific observations may occur.
The table of values contains time, value and observation status for each observation. If need be, period-to-period and year-on-year percentage change or simple change are also shown. The changes are calculated from the original, and where possible hypothetically euro-based, values. Owing to rounding, the values and changes may not always correspond.
The observation status for an observation can be: provisional; revised; estimated; available at a later date; unknown (= unknown, not to be published or not meaningful); nil.
Download
Our time series can be downloaded in CSV format. CSV is a text based format which can be read by all conventional spreadsheet programmes, such as Excel.
You can download each time series directly by clicking on the link "CSV", which is available in the time series list and in the display of the time series.
As an alternative you can download up to 25 time series onto your hard drive at any one time. If your browser is Javascript-enabled and your browser accepts cookies, you can make use of our shopping trolley function. Mark the desired time series for download using the check boxes.
Then go to the download form. There you will find that the highlighted time series have been already entered. If necessary you can enter the download options or change the set of time series. To change the set of time series, enter or delete the time series keys in the text fields and press the button "refresh". You can delete the set of time series by pressing the button "clear all".
Then start the download.
You will receive the download page listing the links to the CSV files. There is a CSV file for each selected series, as well as a package file containing all monthly to yearly series and a package for all daily series. In case you would like to bookmark your download you can add this download page to your browser favorites using the offered link.
In some cases no download package containing all series can be created due to the size of the source files. In these cases you can use the single CSV files or establish a smaller period for your download. For day and week series the package can contain the last two calendar years.
Download options
You can establish a period for all time series. The default option and presetting for the direct download is a complete download.
You can choose between English CSV (columns are separated by comma, decimal separator is the point) and German CSV (columns are separated by semicolon, decimal separator is the comma). The default option and presetting for the direct download is the language of the presentation. Please note that the CSV file may display incorrectly if you have not chosen the CSV language suitable for your country setting.
To choose the CSV language you can:
- Use the download form to select the format "German CSV" or "English CSV".
- Use the direct download via the link "CSV" on all time series pages. You will receive German CSV when you activate the link of a German page, and English CSV when you use the English version of that page.
DM, euro, DM/euro series: More...
Interpreting the Bundesbank-data (not ESZB-Statistics)
DM/euro series
In the context of national analyses, the irrevocably fixed exchange rate is often also presupposed for the past in order to avoid breaks in time series. However, this procedure is problematic if historical data of different countries are converted into euro and then aggregated or compared among themselves. It is thereby incorrectly assumed that the exchange rates between the national currencies were already fixed in the past. This may result in a distorted representation of the interactions between real and monetary processes within and among the economies.
Series given as DM/euro are entered in DM until December 1998 and then in euro. The rates of change in the “Year-on-year percentage change” and “Period-on-period percentage change” are calculated solely in euro.
These series can be downloaded either as they are displayed or completely based on euro. The default option and presetting for the direct download is as they are displayed.
Statistical breaks
The non-seasonally adjusted component series denominated in DM/euro may contain statistical breaks which are not individually noted.
Assets and liabilities of banks in Germany
Firstly, we recommend the methodological explanations contained in the first Statistical Supplement to the Monthly Report “Banking statistics” (page 190 ff).
The results for each of the most recent deadlines are always provisional. Changes
as a result of subsequent revisions, which are included in the publications
of the following reporting deadlines, are not specifically noted.
The statistics on banking business in Germany do not contain the assets and
liabilities of foreign branches of German banks; however, they do include the
business of branches of foreign banks in Germany.
Statistical exceptional trends are not noted in the series showing stocks. As
a result of changes in the reporting sample or the survey forms/publishing methods,
major statistical breaks in the time series occurred at the following times.
| Date | Remark |
|---|---|
| December 1959 | Inclusion of credit institutions in Saarland in the reporting sample. |
| December 1960 | Inclusion of housing promotion institutions in the reporting sample. |
| December 1985 | Inclusion of the small cooperative banks – which until then had not been required to report – in the reporting sample. |
| June 1990 | Inclusion of east German credit institutions in the reporting sample. |
| January 1995 | Adjustment of banking statistics to the “economic sector classification” of the Federal Statistical Office, 1993 issue (WZ 93). |
| January 1999 | Conversion of the German banking statistics as part of harmonisation
within monetary union with the following changes.
Inclusion of the reporting data of the building and loan associations. Treating building and loan associations as banks (previously non-banks) for the sectoral classification of business partners of those parties required to report. Changes and limitations to the time window for assets and liabilities. Removal of assets and liabilities arising from fiduciary services from the classification of loans and deposits. |
Foreign status of non-banks
(Exposures and liabilities from German enterprises to/from foreign institutions).
This primarily concerns exposures and liabilities of domestic enterprises
(including individuals) to/from foreign institutions arising from financial
relationships and trade credits (credit terms and advances).
This does not include participating interests in foreign enterprises, participating
interests from abroad in capital of domestic enterprises or securitised assets
and liabilities abroad. Statistical inflows and outflows are not eliminated;
changes in the stock are to this extent not comparable with the data on long
and short-term capital movement indicated in the balance of payments. As a result
of changes in the reporting sample, major statistical breaks in the time series
occurred in the months given below.
| Date | Remark |
|---|---|
| September 1982 | Raise in the reporting threshold from DM100,000 to DM500,000 |
| June 1990 | Inclusion of east German credit institutions in the reporting sample |
| December 1995 | Raise in the reporting threshold from DM500,000 to DM3 million |
| March 2002 | Raise in the reporting threshold from DM3 million (around €1.5 million) to €5 million |
The current time series can be found in table form under “Actual figures/External sector statistics/II External stock statistics", Assets and liabilities of enterprises in Germany vis-à-vis non-residents
- Total, as well as by foreign currency and euro.
- by country group
- by individual country
Foreign direct investment stock statistics
The reader is kindly advised to refer to the explanatory notes contained in the Special Statistical Publication 10 “Foreign direct investment stock statistics”. The figures for the latest period shown are always provisional. Changes as a result of subsequent revisions are not specially marked.
Owing to international harmonisation, the following changes have been made in the exemption limits over time:
| Date | Type of change |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Increase in the exemption limit for the balance sheet total of direct investment enterprises from DM 500,000 to DM 1 million (see also item 1 below) |
| 1999 | Reduction in the exemption limit from 20% of the share of capital and of the voting rights to below 10%; Increase in the exemption limit for minority stakes (stakes below 50%) for the balance sheet total of direct investment enterprises to DM 10 million /€ 5 million; exemption limit for majority stakes (of 50% and more) remains at DM 1 million/ € 500,000 |
| 2002 | Setting of a standard exemption limit of € 3 million for the balance sheet total of direct investment enterprises (see also item 2 below) |
| 2007 | Reporting of all cross-border indirect majority interests in cases where the balance sheet total of the investment objects exceeds €3 million, or equivalent thereof. Discontinuation of reporting indirect minority interests (see also item 3 below) |
More information on the impact of changes in the exemption limits and the methodology is contained in the following excerpts from the notes in our Special Statistical Publication 10 “Foreign direct investment stock statistics” (former title: International capital links).
1. Note on the raising of the exemption limit from our Special Statistical Supplement 10 “International capital links”, May 1995
The exemption limit for the balance sheet total of investment targets was raised from DM 0.5 million to DM 1 million in 1993. Consequently, approximately 2,300 enterprises abroad with German participating interests and about 1,200 enterprises in Germany with foreign participating interests were no longer required to report. In the case of German direct investment abroad, direct investment assets declined by no more than approximately DM 400 million as a result; in the case of foreign direct investment in Germany, they declined by approximately DM 300 million.
2. Note on the change in the exemption limit from our Special Statistical Supplement 10 “International capital links”, May 2004
A newly restandardised exemption limit applying to the balance sheet total of investment enterprises took effect for the first time in 2002.
The increase from € 0.5 million to € 3 million meant that, compared with the previous years, the number of enterprises required to return reports decreased by approximately 11,800 for those enterprises abroad with German participating interests and by some 4,600 for those enterprises in Germany with foreign participating interests. At the same time, lowering the exemption limit for the balance sheet total of the investment targets of enterprises with a minority interest from € 5 million to € 3 million year on year led to some 300 enterprises abroad with German participating interests and approximately 200 enterprises in Germany with foreign participating interests being included for the first time. All in all, this resulted in a € 7 billion reduction in the volume of German direct investment abroad and a € 2 billion reduction in the volume of foreign direct investment in Germany.
3. Note on the change in the exemption limit from our Special Statistical Publication 10 „Foreign direct investment stock statistics“, April 2009
As of the end of 2007, all cross-border indirect participating interests are recorded in which a majority participation is held and the balance sheet total of the investment object exceeds €3 million. This led to the additional recording of around 1,000 indirect majority participating interests abroad and around 600 indirect majority participating interests in German enterprises. At the same time, the reporting of indirect minority participating interests in enterprises was suspended. In the case of German direct investment abroad, this affected more than 800 indirect minority participating interests and in the case of foreign direct investment in Germany, almost 600 indirect minority participating interests were affected.
4. Note on the change in the data on direct investment enterprises from our Special Statistical Publication 10 „Foreign direct investment stock statistics“, April 2009
As part of the change to the way data are recorded, the data for dependent holding companies are also included as of the end of 2007. In the case of German direct investment abroad, this resulted in an increase in the number of direct investment enterprises of almost 1,800, while in the case of foreign direct investments in Germany, the number increased by almost 1,300.
Selected seasonally adjusted business statistics
Seasonally adjusted figures are calculated by using a process of estimation
and are subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small changes from one period to
the next in the last place of the displayed figures, therefore, are also not
necessarily indicative of economically induced changes. The series are usually
reproduced with the accuracy which allows it to verify the mainly rounded rates
of change that are given in the Bundesbank’s analysis.
For further explanations of seasonal adjustment, see the fourth Statistical
Supplement to the Monthly Report, "Seasonally adjusted business statistics”.
