The economic recovery in the euro area has also seen investment regain momentum. Aggregate fixed capital formation is still languishing well short of its level prior to the crisis, however, though that was admittedly a period marked by above-average investment growth in some countries.

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.

Overall, credit standards in Germany were eased slightly in the final quarter of 2015, as is revealed by the latest Bank Lending Survey (BLS) conducted among banks domiciled in Germany.

As at the end of September 2015, households' financial assets amounted to €5,210 billion; this figure was €17 billion (or 0.3%) lower than at the end of the second quarter.