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.

German credit institutions eased their lending policies in all three surveyed lines of business in the final quarter of 2014.

The role of trade in goods in the development of global imbalances

In the third quarter of 2014, the financial assets of households rose by €28 billion on the quarter, climbing to €5,011 billion. While the transaction-related acquisition of financial assets amounted to just under €34.5 billion, leaving it roughly unchanged compared to the previous quarter, valuation losses, notably on shares, curtailed growth in assets by around €6.5 billion. With regard to types of investment, the trend towards liquid and lower-risk assets, which has been evident for some time now, continued into the third quarter.

The Bundesbank successfully continued and further stepped up its transfers of gold last year. In 2014, 120 tonnes of gold were transferred to Frankfurt am Main from storage locations abroad: 35 tonnes from Paris and 85 tonnes from New York.

Dr Johannes Beermann today took up office as a member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank. The Bundesbank's Executive Board has therefore reshuffled its areas of responsibility.

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.

Outlook for the German economy – macroeconomic projections for 2015 and 2016

The Deutsche Bundesbank mourns the passing of its former President Dr hc mult Karl Otto Pöhl. He was the Bundesbank's Vice-President from 1977 to 1979 and President from 1980 to 1991. Karl Otto Pöhl passed away on 9 December 2014 at the age of 85.

Following a brisk start to the year, which was due in part to the very mild winter, the German economy subsequently lost momentum to a surprising extent.

Low interest rates and low volatility raise market participants’ risk appetite. This harbours the risk of exaggerations. Although German banks’ deleveraging has been successful, their earnings are weak. The banking union is creating better conditions for the recovery and resolution of failed banks. The real estate market remains under observation, but mortgage loans are currently recording relatively moderate growth.

German institutions eased their standards for lending to enterprises somewhat in the third quarter of 2014; credit standards were tightened slightly for household loans for house purchase and remained unchanged for consumer loans.

The comprehensive assessment (CA) conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) has determined that the balance sheets of the 25 participating German institutions are sound and that the banks’ capital position would be sufficient to withstand a severe economic shock. This positive result is due not least to the capital measures taken over the past few years, and it does not include measures taken this year.

The German economy in the international division of labour: a look at value-added flows

The financial accounts data for Germany announced in this press release are published for the first time pursuant to the provisions of the European System of Accounts 2010 (ESA 2010). This methodological framework replaced the previous ESA 1995 on 1 September 2014, and since then has constituted the binding basis for all relevant statistics in the European Union.

The 2014 autumn notification under the European budgetary surveillance procedure marked the first time in which Germany's general government debt was calculated on the basis of the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010).

The September 2014 edition of the Monthly Report discusses general trends and changes in the ownership structure in the German equity market that occurred during the financial crisis and also contains an article on the reform of federal financial relationships. A further article analyses the performance of German credit institutions in 2013.

The consultation of the Deutsche Bundesbank's Executive Board pursuant to section 7 (3) of the Bundesbank Act regarding the nomination of Dr Johannes Beermann as a member of the Deutsche Bundesbank's Executive Board took place on Tuesday.

Germany's net external position stood at €1,204 billion at the end of 2013, and thus amounted to almost 43% of gross domestic product. The German net external asset position rose by €251 billion year-on-year. This increase primarily reflects Germany's current account surplus last year. Unlike in previous years, the increase occurred against the backdrop of declining gross amounts outstanding.

From today, the Deutsche Bundesbank will be issuing €10 banknotes of the second euro banknote series. Following the introduction of the €5 note last year, the €10 note is now the second denomination of the new “Europa” series to be brought into circulation in Germany.

The September 2014 edition of the Monthly Report discusses general trends and changes in the ownership structure in the German equity market that occurred during the financial crisis and also contains an article on the reform of federal financial relationships. A further article analyses the performance of German credit institutions in 2013.