Bundesbank Executive Board member Sabine Mauderer has called on Mittelstand to grasp the opportunity presented by sustainable and digital transformation. “You can demonstrate that sustainability and business success belong together,” Ms Mauderer told business leaders.

German banks tightened their credit standards somewhat for loans to enterprises and loans to households for house purchase in the third quarter of 2021. At the same time, credit standards for consumer credit and other lending were eased marginally. These are the results of a quarterly survey of German banks on their lending activities. According to the survey, loan demand increased in all the surveyed loan categories, but fell significantly short of banks’ expectations in the previous quarter for loans to enterprises and consumer credit and other lending.

Die Jahreswachstumsrate der weit gefassten Geldmenge M3 sank im September 2021 auf 7,4 % nach 7,9 % im August.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann will lay down his office for personal reasons at the end of the year. “I have come to the conclusion that, after more than ten years, now is a good time to embark upon a new chapter – for the Bundesbank, but also for me personally,” Mr Weidmann explained. He said he owed thanks to his colleagues on the Governing Council of the ECB under the leadership of Christine Lagarde for the open and constructive atmosphere in the - at times - difficult discussions conducted over the past years.

The annual inflation rate in Germany was 4.1% in September, and the Bundesbank expects prices to continue rising for the time being. “Overall, the inflation rate is likely to rise further at first, before gradually declining in the coming year,” the Bundesbank’s economists write in the current issue of the Monthly Report, explaining that statistical effects are one contributing factor.