Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €9.6 billion in May 2025, virtually half the level seen in the preceding month. This was mainly attributable to the swing to a deficit in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income. There was also a somewhat smaller surplus in goods trading. 

At the Second Forum Bundesbank in Madrid, experts discussed Germany’s economic challenges, the impact of current US trade policy and the potential trajectory of the European economy. International dialogue was promoted by the presence of high-level participants.

In April 2025, Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €23.5 billion, down €9.4 billion on the previous month’s level. This was attributable to smaller surpluses in the goods account and especially in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income.

At a meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors, Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel addressed the geopolitical challenges currently being faced. Speaking at a joint press conference with the new Federal Minister of Finance Lars Klingbeil in Banff, Canada, Mr Nagel said that while global economic activity had still been fairly robust at the start of the year, benefiting from the anticipatory effects of announced tariffs, the world economy was now struggling in the face of tightened US tariff policies and great uncertainty.

The Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) breaks new ground with the release of the first ever short-term climate scenarios. They provide a detailed view of how climate change and climate policies could affect the global economy and financial system in the near future.