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.