The Monthly Report April 2014 comments on the reliability of international organisations' estimates of the output gap as well as on the implications of the Eurosystem's monetary operations during the financial crisis. Furthermore, some approaches to explaining the behaviour of inflation since the last financial and economic crisis are described.

The March 2014 edition of the Monthly Report describes the shadow banking system in the euro area and its monetary policy implications. In addition, the German balance of payments in 2013 is reconsidered and it comments on the vulnerability to crises of the manufacturing enterprises in Germany.

Der Monatsbericht März 2014 beschreibt das Schattenbankensystem im Euroraum und dessen geldpolitische Implikationen. Er erläutert ferner die deutsche Zahlungsbilanz für das Jahr 2013 und enthält einen Beitrag zu dem Thema Krisenanfälligkeit von Unternehmen des Verarbeitenden Gewerbes in Deutschland.

This paper analyses cash and cashless payment instruments in Germany. After a description of developments in a national and international context, we will compile a critical overview of iterature on cost calculations and on the importance of payments media for different countries.

The economic situation in Germany at the end of 2013.