In the October 2024 Monthly Report, the first article investigates how a different method of recording retained earnings in the balance of payments affects the German current account surplus. The second article highlights current developments in Germany’s international interconnectedness via foreign direct investment. The third outlines the development of state government finances in 2023, noting that the situation has deteriorated, but that there is still a structural surplus. The Monthly Report then rounds off with an article examining the topic of wage developments in Germany, detailing the current situation, providing a comparison with the euro area, and offering an outlook.