In the second quarter of 2023, households’ financial assets grew by €94 billion, standing at €7,492 billion at the quarter’s end. Following a significant decline in the previous year, this was already the third consecutive quarter-on-quarter increase. Over the second quarter of 2023, households increased their claims by €59 billion and recorded valuation gains of €36 billion.

Pursuant to Eurosystem rules, auctions may be used alongside bilateral transactions as a supplementary procedure for specific market segments under the public sector purchase programme (PSPP). Within this framework, the Bundesbank conducts one multi-ISIN auction covering up to 10 securities on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. Advance notice for the auctions is issued on the Friday prior to the relevant auction.

Economic output in Germany dipped slightly in the second quarter of 2019. The Bundesbank’s current Monthly Report states that this was primarily due to ongoing weakness in export-oriented industry.

At the end of December 2021, Germany’s net external assets stood at €2,545 billion, thus amounting to around 71% of nominal gross domestic product (GDP). Both German claims and liabilities vis-à-vis non-residents continued to rise in 2021.