Is there a difference between the inflation expectations of private households in Germany formed under the ECB’s previous target definition of “below, but close to, 2%” and those under the new inflation target of “symmetrically 2%”? New survey results from the Bundesbank Online Panel Households (BOP-HH) show that the new inflation target is associated with moderately higher inflation expectations for the next two to three years. The differences become more accentuated when the respondents are also told that the new monetary policy strategy entails the possibility of inflation exceeding the target.

The ongoing monitoring of institutions also includes conducting on-site inspections. These give the Bundesbank deeper insights into institutions’ risk structures and the procedures they use to control risk. The Bundesbank’s supervisors investigate whether the internal risk measurement methods which institutions use to calculate their capital requirements can be approved.