Whilst Europe is home to successful payment systems – Germany’s girocard scheme, for instance – these are often only national in scope. How can payment operations be harmonised across Europe and made more convenient for consumers?

A substantial share of bank loans of euro area banks is secured with real estate. In a new study, we examine whether, in the low interest rate environment, banks invested more in foreign real estate-backed lending. Our results suggest that regulatory differences between the bank’s home country and possible destination countries matter for banks’ search for yield.

The emergency monetary policy measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic have impacted noticeably on the Deutsche Bundesbank’s balance sheet.

Die wirtschaftlichen Aussichten hängen auch in diesem Jahr stark von der weiteren Entwicklung der Corona-Pandemie ab. Was das für die deutsche Wirtschaft bedeutet erklärt Bundesbankpräsident Jens Weidmann in der Pressekonferenz.

Die Corona-Pandemie hatte im vergangenen Jahr auch Auswirkungen auf die Bundesbank-Bilanz. Obwohl die Bilanzsumme so hoch war wir noch nie, hat die Bundesbank erstmals seit 1979 keinen Gewinn mehr erzielt. Wie es dazu kommt, erklärt Bundesbankvorstand Johannes Beermann.

The Bundesbank is not distributing a profit for 2020 – for the first time since 1979. The main reason was the greater level of risk provisioning, Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann explained at the press conference to present the annual accounts in Frankfurt am Main. The emergency monetary policy measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic are consequently having a noticeable impact on the Bundesbank’s balance sheet. In the previous year, the Bundesbank had distributed a profit of €5.9 billion.

Viele Menschen freuten sich über die neuen Scheine und Münzen, doch es gab auch kritische Stimmen.