Prof. Dr. Axel A. Weber, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Speech at the Foreign Policy Association

Germany’s net international investment position stood at €1,709 billion at the end of 2016, thus amounting to around 54% of nominal gross domestic product. Year-on-year, the German net external asset position thereby increased by €231 billion.

The outlook for Germany's economy remains upbeat. The Bundesbank's latest half-yearly projection singles out buoyant domestic demand as the main factor driving the robust upswing. Exports are also predicted to gain renewed traction from 2017 onwards.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann has warned against government intervention in the market economy becoming the norm after the coronavirus pandemic,  although it was important for the government to intervene strongly in the crisis. “But this must not become a normal state of affairs. I do not believe that governments know best when it comes to running a business,” he said in an interview with the “Augsburger Allgemeine” newspaper.