The Deutsche Bundesbank is about to become a partner in joint digital financial innovations developed by central banks from all over the world. Together, the French central bank and the Bundesbank will set up an innovation centre at their locations in Frankfurt am Main and Paris.

The architectural design competition for the planned new builds on the campus of the Bundesbank’s Frankfurt Central Office has come to a close. A jury of 13, made up of renowned architects and representatives from the Bundesbank and the City of Frankfurt am Main, concluded two days of deliberations by selecting six prize winners and awarding two honourable mentions out of a total of 29 designs entered in the competition.

Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €7.7 billion in April 2020,1 putting it €17.9 billion below the March level.  

According to the latest Bundesbank projections, the German economy will recover following a deep recession in the second quarter of this year. Economic output is estimated to shrink by 7% in 2020, but in the next two years, real gross domestic product (GDP) will then increase by 3 to 4% per year.

The Bundesbank reopens its Money Museum on 25 May 2020, bringing to an end a closure of just over two months during the corona lockdown. The museum will be operating with new precautions in place, designed to control infection.

German direct investment abroad totalled €1,277 billion at the end of 2018. This represents an increase of €70 billion on the year. The United States was again the most important destination for German direct investors, with a figure of €361 billion.

According to a quarterly survey of 34 banks conducted by the Bundesbank, German banks tightened their credit standards and lending terms and conditions further in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. At the same time, there was considerable growth in enterprises’ demand for loans in the first quarter of 2020.

Households’ financial assets rose by €126 billion to around €6.5 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2019. Valuation gains were the main reason for this increase. Households also increased their holdings of currency, deposits, investment fund shares and claims on insurance corporations.