Auf seiner heutigen Sitzung kam der EZB-Rat zu dem Schluss, dass die seit seiner letzten Sitzung neu verfügbaren Daten seine Erwartung stärken, dass die Nettoankäufe von Vermögenswerten im Rahmen seines Programms zum Ankauf von Vermögenswerten im dritten Quartal eingestellt werden sollten.

Households’ financial assets grew by €161 billion to €7,618 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021. Taking all transactions and valuation effects into account, growth was thus significantly higher than in the (weak) third quarter.

The German current account recorded a surplus of €20.8 billion in February 2022, up €8.4 billion on the previous month’s level. This was mainly attributable to an increase in the goods account surplus. Conversely, the surplus in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income, contracted slightly. 

German banks tightened their credit standards for loans to enterprises marginally in the first quarter 2022. The banks also applied stricter standards for loans to households for house purchase. Meanwhile, credit standards for consumer credit and other lending remained unchanged.