Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €23.6 billion in March 2026. This was €3.1 billion up on the previous month’s level. The goods account surplus decreased, but the surplus in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income, increased more strongly.

The war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have shaken global energy markets and evoked memories of 2022, when Russia’s attack on Ukraine significantly exacerbated the energy crisis of 2021/22. In the current issue of the Monthly Report, Bundesbank experts examine both crises and show that while there are parallels there are also significant differences.

The same methodology as the real effective exchange rates of the euro is used to calculate price competitiveness indicators for individual euro area countries. 

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