Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann has stressed the European Central Bank’s independence. In an interview with the Financial Times, Weidmann pointed out that the debate in Germany was too narrow and was not focusing enough on the broader macroeconomic consequences of current monetary policy.

Financial stability is a state in which the financial system can perform its key economic functions smoothly at all times, particularly in times of stress and structural upheaval. Monetary stability refers to the economic, monetary and financial stability of the individual countries and the world monetary system as a whole.

The leading industrial nations and emerging market economies, or G20, meet on a regular basis to hold informal discussions on current challenges facing the global economy and to consult on ways in which they can cooperate.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann expects Brexit to place a strain on Germany's economy. It is in the interests of both parties, he says, for the EU and the United Kingdom to quickly enter into level-headed negotiations on their future relationship.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann has sounded a warning against attaching too much importance to Germany’s high current account surplus. At a conference in Frankfurt am Main hosted jointly by the Bundesbank and the International Monetary Fund, he explained that it was partly a reflection of the very accommodative monetary policy in the euro area.

Various specialised procedures are made available in the Bundesbank’s ExtraNet for the electronic submission of payment and stock reports in data record formats.

The Bundesbank sees signs of a more rapid upturn in economic activity in Germany than widely expected. In its latest Monthly Report, the Bundesbank cites the positive consumer climate as well as favourable developments in industrial orders and output as factors underpinning this. The economists expect the dramatic fall in crude oil prices to have a marked effect on growth.