The group of emerging market economies have experienced impressive growth over the past 20 years, substantially boosting their share of global economic output and worldwide trade. Recently, however, economic momentum has tailed off considerably in a large number of emerging market economies, and the growth lead they once enjoyed over the industrial countries has narrowed.

In the first quarter of 2015, the financial assets of households rose exceptionally steeply by just under €140 billion (ie 2.8%) on the quarter, climbing to a figure of €5,212 billion.

In the first half of 2015, the Bundesbank registered approximately 50,500 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €2.2 million. This means that the number of counterfeits rose by 31% compared with the second half of 2014. Statistically, this­ equates to 12 counterfeit banknotes per 10,000 inhabitants.

Overall, German credit institutions eased their lending policies somewhat for loans to enterprises in the second quarter of 2015. This was revealed by the latest round of the Bank Lending Survey.

In its meeting on 30 June 2015, the Financial Stability Committee discussed the current risk situation in financial markets, including the market reaction triggered by the events in Greece. The Committee considers the consequences for the German financial system to be minor. It sees the German financial system as robust; to a large extent, German financial institutions have reduced their exposure to Greece a while ago.

The Deutsche Bundesbank calculates the basic rate of interest pursuant to section 247 (1) of the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch) and publishes its current level in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) pursuant to section 247 (2) of the German Civil Code.

The German economy has recovered more quickly than expected from the cyclical lull in the middle of last year and has returned to a growth path that is underpinned by domestic and foreign demand. Domestic economic activity is benefitting from the favourable labour market situation and the substantial wage increases.

Renminbi trade in Germany has experienced strong growth: German-issued securities denominated in renminbi (RMB) have more than quadrupled since last spring. The issuance of numerous "Goethe bonds" and other debt securities caused the volume to rise from just under RMB 5 billion to over RMB 21 billion.

The detailed results of the foreign direct investment stock statistics for 2010 to 2013 are now available for the first time based on the new calculation method, which was implemented as part of the harmonisation measures in accordance with the new OECD Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This has resulted in a significant reduction in FDI stocks.

The financial and sovereign debt crisis which has afflicted the euro area for more than seven years now has clearly left a mark on the financial market, having forced monetary policymakers to roll out highly accommodative measures and legislators to make adjustments to the regulatory framework.

In the fourth quarter of 2014, the financial assets of households rose by just over €69 billion (ie 1.4%) on the quarter, climbing to a figure of €5,072 billion. Together with the transaction-related acquisition of financial assets which totalled just over €40.5 billion, valuation gains in the amount of around €28.5 billion contributed to this increase in assets.

German credit institutions only marginally adjusted their lending policies in all three surveyed lines of business in the first quarter of 2015.

According to provisional calculations, general government debt in Germany as defined in the Maastricht Treaty amounted to approximately €2.168 trillion at the end of 2014. The debt level thus increased by €2 billion on the year. Owing to nominal GDP growth, the debt ratio, ie the level of debt in relation to gross domestic product (GDP), decreased by 2.4 percentage points to 74.7%. 

The Deutsche Bundesbank has launched its own app for smartphones and tablets, which is available for download free of charge. This new app provides users with the latest news on Bundesbank publications, matters of interest and key dates, all in one convenient location. With the app, the Bundesbank is expanding its range of information for mobile devices.

The German economy was buoyant during the first three months of the year. The Bundesbank economists, writing in the latest Monthly Report, expect economic output to remain on a marked upward trajectory in the second quarter. Another topic they discuss is what needs to be done to strengthen the regulatory framework underpinning European monetary union.

"The profit is lower than in the previous year mainly because of the decline in interest income," Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann explained at the Bundesbank’s annual press conference.

The Bundesbank has released a short film about Germany's gold reserves.

The Bundesbank, along with other important data providers in Germany, has today started publishing indicators in accordance with the Special Data Dissemination Standard Plus (SDDS Plus) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This puts Germany among the first nine countries worldwide to adhere to the most comprehensive standard internationally for a uniform approach to economic and financial data provision.

The Bundesbank received its final payment from the insolvency proceedings concerning Lehman Brothers Bankhaus AG (LBB) in January 2015. Following the realisation of monetary policy collateral, there remained an outstanding claim of around €1.9 billion. This has now been settled in full by payments from the insolvency estate of LBB and payments from the insolvency estate of the group parent company in the USA.

The Bundesbank registered approximately 63,000 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €3.3 million in 2014, which represents a 63 % increase year on year. Statistically, this­ equates to eight counterfeit banknotes per 10,000 inhabitants.