The branches of the Bundesbank supply the economy with euro banknotes and coins, and offers private customers the opportunity to exchange D-Mark banknotes and coins free-of-charge and with no fixed deadline.

The system of indicators gives a comprehensive overview of the situation on the property marktet, which is characterised by a clear rise in prices at a time of low interest rates.

Among the problematic developments for firms over the first quarter of 2026, high energy prices recorded the strongest growth, with 61% of firms seeing them as a pressing problem over the next six months in March (December 2025: 43%). In absolute terms, “regulation and government regulations” remain the biggest short-term challenge for firms, with an unchanged 69% in March 2026 reporting that bureaucracy would be a pressing problem over the next six months compared with December 2025.

In Q1 2026, the share of firms with reduced credit financing needs over the past 12 months was 21 %, 3 percentage points higher than in Q4 2025. At the same time, the share of firms with lower liquidity fell by 2 percentage points to 33 % compared with Q4 2025. In Q1 2026, more firms reported a decline in their short-term liquidity over the past 12 months than an increase, as before. The remaining metrics remained broadly stable compared with Q4 2025.

Firms’ short-term inflation expectations rose over the course of the first quarter of 2026, from 2.7 % in January to 3.2 % in March. The median also increased during this period, standing at 2.8 % in March 2026 (January: 2.5 %).

In addition to the regularly recurring questions on enterprise metrics, expectations and access to loans, the Bundesbank frequently asks enterprises questions on various current issues. A selection of the results is presented here.

In Q1 2026, 18 % of firms expected a decline in their need for credit financing over the next 12 months, 3 percentage points more than in Q4 2025. The share of firms expecting an increase remained unchanged at 29 % compared with Q4 2025. In terms of short-term liquidity, 30 % of firms expected a decline, 1 percentage point more than in Q4 2025. The share of firms expecting their liquidity to increase was 17 %, 1 percentage point higher than in the previous quarter.