When a country joins the European Union or the euro area, that country's central bank takes a share in the capital of the European Central Bank. To make sure a correct weighting is maintained amongst the member states, the European Central Bank adjusts the "capital key" for all the national central banks on a regular basis.

At a press conference presenting this year's Financial Stability Review, Bundesbank Deputy President Sabine Lautenschläger and Executive Board member Andreas Dombret commented that the tensions on the international financial markets had eased, which had also benefited the German financial system. Yet they warned that the side-effects of the crisis measures were now becoming increasingly apparent – especially for banks and insurers.

In the next few weeks, the ECB will undertake a comprehensive assessment of banks in order to create transparency prior to the launch of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). This European-level supervisory mechanism is part of a project designed to avert the dangers to financial stability that can be caused by distress in national financial systems: the European banking union.

The Bretton Woods fixed exchange rate system collapsed 40 years ago.

This is one of the findings of the global central bank survey, which the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) carries out every three years and for which the Bundesbank collects the German data.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann at the inaugural meeting of the Financial Stability Committee in Berlin, which marks the beginning of macroprudential oversight in Germany.

Private and institutional investors have changed their investment behaviour since the beginning of the crisis, which has had an impact on the market for mutual funds.

The storage of German gold reserves both in Germany and abroad emerged for historical and market-related reasons.

By 2020, the Bundesbank intends to store half of Germany’s gold reserves in its own vaults in Germany.

The potential consequences of inflation demonstrate how important it is to keep the value of a currency stable. The German Empire experienced hyperinflation and hidden inflation during and after both world wars. West Germany also saw comparatively high inflation rates in the 1970s.