At the end of the fourth quarter of 2016, households' financial assets amounted to €5,586 billion; this figure was up markedly by €98 billion (or 1.8%) from the third quarter of 2016. The increase owed partly to substantial valuation gains of just over €53 billion on financial assets, in particular on equities and investment fund shares.

German economic output could grow again significantly in the second quarter of 2021, according to the Bundesbank’s Monthly Report. Rapid progress in the vaccination campaign opens the prospect of a considerable loosening of containment measures in the coming months. GDP could then exceed its pre-crisis level as early as the fourth quarter.