The current decade could mark a turning point in the international division of labour. The coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s attack on Ukraine caused severe disruptions to international supply chains. Production relationships could undergo lasting change owing to the two events, the Bundesbank’s economists write in the October Monthly Report. In their article, they explore whether this is already being reflected in Germany’s foreign direct investment (FDI) relationships.

According to the current issue of the Bundesbank’s Monthly Report, real gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to have contracted again somewhat in the third quarter of 2024. Output in the industrial sector and in construction is expected to have declined markedly. Despite favourable conditions, private consumption probably likewise provided only little impetus.

French economist Nicolas Véron and Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel call for the banking union to be completed. Writing in Politico Magazine, they argue that the issues of crisis management, deposit insurance and banks’ sovereign exposures are intertwined.