The German banks responding to the Bank Lending Survey (BLS) barely tightened their credit standards for loans to enterprises any further in the second quarter of 2024. They slightly tightened their credit standards for loans to households for house purchase and for consumer credit and other lending to households. Overall, the adjustments were somewhat less than had been planned in the previous quarter.

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

Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €16.2 billion in January 2023, down €9.4 billion on the previous month’s level. 

Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €2.5 billion in May 2022, down €6.4 billion on the previous month’s level. Although the surplus in the goods account increased, this was outweighed by the sharp shift into a deficit for invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income.