The German economy is under considerable pressure to adapt, writes the Bundesbank in its September Monthly Report. Challenges are arising mainly from demographic change and the transition to a low-emission energy supply. Moreover, dependency on China for the procurement of key intermediate inputs entails risk. In the midset of the current debate concerning Germany’s alleged status as the “sick man of Europe”, the Bundesbank still sees the German economy as well positioned. According to our analyses, broad-based deindustrialisation is not on the table either, says Marcus Jüppner, co-author of the report. 

Domestic enterprises, banks, public authorities and individuals are required to report cross-border equity investments on an annual basis wherever their share of capital or voting rights is 10% or higher and the investment enterprise’s total assets are more than €3 million (or the equivalent thereof if its balance sheet is denominated in another currency).

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann warned that a full-blown trade war between the US and the EU could cost both sides dearly. "The adverse effects might be considerable larger than in case of the trade spat with China“, he said in a speech in New York.

Germany’s current account posted a surplus of €16.2 billion in June 2022, meaning that the result was clearly positive again following the slight deficit of €0.4 billion in the previous month. This was primarily caused by the sharp shift in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income. There was also a higher surplus in goods trading