The German economy got off to a lively start to 2016, according to the Bundesbank's March Monthly Report. The Bank's economists believe that growth in the first quarter of 2016 should be at least as strong as in the second half of 2015.

According to the Bundesbank, the German economy maintained its recent spell of fairly strong growth during the summer months. Writing in the September edition of the Monthly Report, the Bank's economists note that the pick-up in industrial activity is still taking some time to materialise, however.

According to the calculations of the Federal Statistical Office, the German economy grew by 0.7 % in the first three months of 2016, with households and general government being the main drivers. In April, consumer prices fell for the first time since January 2015.

Initial calculations by the Federal Statistical Office indicate that price-adjusted gross domestic product in Germany rose by 2.2% last year. The strong growth on the demand side was broadly based and was supported by both external and domestic stimuli. In 2017, employment reached its highest level since German reunification.