Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel believes digitalisation could provide further considerable impetus for growth and prosperity. “This can be achieved if digital transformation is approached with openness to new ideas and room for innovative solutions,” he said, speaking at the Ludwig Erhard Lecture of the INSM (Initiative New Social Market Economy) in Berlin. Mr Nagel also touched on the current monetary policy stance.

Initial figures from the Federal Statistical Office indicate that Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.1% in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter after adjustment for price, seasonal and calendar effects. The data suggest that private consumption, in particular, declined. By contrast, investment in machinery and equipment provided positive stimuli.

for tables, time series, and the latest data for selected statistics.