Germany's net external position stood at €1,204 billion at the end of 2013, and thus amounted to almost 43% of gross domestic product. The German net external asset position rose by €251 billion year-on-year. This increase primarily reflects Germany's current account surplus last year. Unlike in previous years, the increase occurred against the backdrop of declining gross amounts outstanding.

The Deutsche Bundesbank posted its first-ever representative to South Africa at the country's German Embassy on 1 August 2016 with a view to deepening the bank's cooperation with the G20 emerging market economy.

Prof. Dr. Axel A. Weber, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Mais Lecture, Cass Business School

In the fourth quarter of 2013, the financial assets of households rose by around €79 billion or 1.6% on the quarter to €5,152 billion by the year-end.The largest part of this increase, at around €47 billion, was the result of valuation gains; the transaction-related acquisition of financial assets amounted to around €32 billion. There was a continuation of the trend towards liquid assets in an ongoing low-interest-rate environment, a trend which has been observed for some time now.

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.

In the third quarter of 2014, the financial assets of households rose by €28 billion on the quarter, climbing to €5,011 billion. While the transaction-related acquisition of financial assets amounted to just under €34.5 billion, leaving it roughly unchanged compared to the previous quarter, valuation losses, notably on shares, curtailed growth in assets by around €6.5 billion. With regard to types of investment, the trend towards liquid and lower-risk assets, which has been evident for some time now, continued into the third quarter.