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BERLIN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Christian Lindner considers the budget demands made by his government coalition partners to be excessive and "simply unrealistic", he told Reuters in a TV interview on Monday. Lindner said the requested additional spending amounted to about 70 billion euros ($70.78 billion) compared with earlier plans. According to the finance minister, the demands head into the range of 100 billion euros more per year for the years 2025 and onward. The new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants 10 additional billion euros for the defence budget next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. "However, what is clear is that 10 billion euros more in 2024 than now is an unrealistic figure," he said.

The bank said it would aim for a 2023 result that is "well above" 2022, helped by higher interest rates, despite "another demanding year in view of the challenging environment". Reuters GraphicsNet profit of 472 million euros ($505.3 million) in the quarter was higher than 421 million euros a year earlier. It was well above average analyst expectations of 350 million euros, according to a consensus forecast published by Commerzbank. For the full year, Commerzbank generated net profit of 1.435 billion euros, up from 430 million euros a year earlier, and better than expectations for around 1.359 billion. Commerzbank forecast net interest income "well above" 6.5 billion euros for 2023, "with clear additional upside potential".

☆ Germany rules out spending 'more and more money' as Europe hopes to avoid subsidy race with the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

European Union officials have been embroiled in tense discussions over how to make the region more competitive in the wake of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, also referred to as IRA. The American legislation was approved by U.S. lawmakers in August and includes $369 billion in spending on climate and energy policies. But, according to Christian Lindner, the German finance minister, the answer for the 27-member EU bloc to boost competitiveness is not via more public spending. "We need a better quality of public sector investments, not more quantity of public sector investments," he said. "Belgium is a small market, very open economy, Germany is a big market.

They stressed that the reallocation would be gradual and not result in fire sales, with new money going largely into fixed income rather than alternative investments. Goldman Sachs' asset management arm is planning to significantly reduce its $59 billion of alternative investments. Credit rating agencies Moody's and S&P, which both give Allianz high marks, have pointed to the greater risk posed by comparatively illiquid alternative investments in Allianz's portfolio. Alternative investments come at a price, requiring Allianz and other insurers to set aside more capital to own them because they are less liquid than bonds. In its wake, Allianz has had to close down Allianz Global Investors in the United States in a serious blow to the company.

"I would like to call on all creditors to join the efforts as swiftly as possible," Christian Lindner said in a news conference with his Ghanaian counterpart Ken Ofori-Atta. In January, Reuters reported exclusively that Ghana had requested a bilateral debt restructuring under the Common Framework, a platform set up by the Group of 20 major economies during the COVID-19 pandemic to bring China and other newer creditor nations into existing debt relief processes. Western leaders have repeatedly criticised China for delaying developing country debt restructurings, which it disputes. "Germany is being true partners" in helping Ghana through the debt restructuring process in "an accelerated way," Ofori-Atta told reporters. "Ghana needs to return as fast as possible to the international financial markets.

LONDON/FRANKFURT, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Rising borrowing costs are giving a long-awaited lift to Europe's beleaguered banks, but they come with a sting in the tail. Last year central banks ended a decade of rock-bottom interest rates as the U.S. Federal Reserve and then the European Central Bank moved towards tightening. But while rising rates are good news for bank profits, they herald a slowdown in an economy hit by war and runaway prices that squeeze borrowers and could prick pricing bubbles, most notably in property. "On the one hand, interest rates are going up, which is good and helps banks," said Jerome Legras of Axiom Alternative Investments. Germany's financial regulator BaFin recently warned that a rapid rise in interest rates could weigh on some banks, and that loans may sour.

☆ German finance minister warns against quick decoupling from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Germany must reduce its dependence on China gradually as decoupling from the Chinese market would costs jobs in Europe's biggest economy, Finance Minister Christian Lindner was quoted as saying on Sunday. "Decoupling our economy from the Chinese market would not be in the interest of jobs in Germany," Lindner was quoted as saying by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. He said that gradually other world regions and markets would have to become more important for German business over the coming years and decades, Welt reported. "The political conditions must be improved for this," Lindner said. Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, editing by Emma-Victoria FarrOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Deutsche Bank declined to comment. The person did not give details of the size of the overall bonus pool for the whole of Deutsche Bank, which also includes retail, corporate and asset management divisions. Deutche's investment bank is expected to report 3.7 billion euros in pretax profit for 2022, roughly flat versus 2021, based on a consensus forecast of analysts. Reuters GraphicsDeutsche has been heavily reliant on its volatile investment bank for its return to profitability, but is hoping to depend instead on more stable businesses that serve companies and retail customers. The Financial Times first reported the Deutsche investment bank bonus decline.

☆ The threat of a transatlantic trade war is dominating Davos
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Trade tensions between the EU and the US are dominating the talk in Davos. Transatlantic trade tensions are dominating conversations at the World Economic Forum this week. On the one hand, European officials are saying they will come up with more financial support for European firms. On the other hand, the business community is excited about green subsidies stateside and argue the EU needs to match what the U.S. administration is doing. At the same time we have to support our competitiveness," European Commissioner for Economics, Paolo Gentiloni, told CNBC in Davos.

☆ Exclusive: Germany forecast to narrowly escape recession in 2023 - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Holger Hansen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Germany is expected to narrowly avoid recession this year with price-adjusted growth of 0.2%, a source said on Wednesday, citing estimates from a draft of the government's annual economic report. This is to be followed by 1.8% growth in gross domestic product next year, according to the draft report, the source said. In autumn, the government had forecast a 0.4% decline in GDP for 2023. According to the source, the government is also set to revise down its inflation forecast for 2023 to 6.0%, with inflation expected to ease further in 2024 to 2.8%. On Tuesday, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said inflation this year was expected to be lower than the government's autumn forecast of 7.0% due in part to a fall in energy prices.

☆ German finance minister says country will likely face a 'very mild' recession this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said Tuesday that he believed the country would experience a mild recession in 2023, but that he felt positive about his country's economic outlook. "There is an opportunity to see faster economic recovery and faster decline in inflation rates than expected," Lindner said. Earlier this month, the country's inflation reading for December came back lower than expected as it declined to 9.6%. Lindner said he expected a "very mild" recession, but also believed the Germany economy was resilient. He said the German government was now focused on "strengthening the competitiveness" of its economy.

☆ Germany will likely face 'very mild' recession, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGermany will likely face a 'very mild' recession this year, finance minister Christian Lindner saysGerman Finance Minister Christian Lindner said there was still a lot of uncertainty, but he has become more optimistic about the economic outlook in recent months.

☆ The Davos elite likes to make bold predictions. But they don't always get them right
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

George Soros, billionaire and founder of Soros Fund Management, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in Jan. 2016. It's an annual meeting where a global elite of business leaders, politicians and economists make bold predictions and try to set the agenda for the year ahead — but they don't always get it right. Nuclear warBillionaire investor George Soros warned during a speech at Davos in 2018 that the United States could be heading for a nuclear war with North Korea. "The United States is set on a course towards nuclear war by refusing to accept that [North] Korea has become a nuclear power," he said at the time. So far, the United States has avoided any military conflict with North Korea.

Losses from natural catastrophes covered by insurance totalled around $120 billion last year, similar to 2021, though short of 2017's record damages, Munich Re (MUVGn.DE), the world's largest reinsurer, said. Annual insured losses of $100 billion appear to be "the new normal", he said. Total losses from natural catastrophes, including those not covered by insurance, were $270 billion in 2022. The United States once again accounted for a big portion of the losses with Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in September, causing $60 billion of insured damages and $100 billion in total losses. Floods in Australia early in the year and again in October resulted in $4.7 billion in insured damages and $8.1 billion overall.

☆ German finance regulator warns of 'Godfather' malware attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

FRANKFURT, Jan 9 (Reuters) - German finance regulator BaFin on Monday warned consumers that the malware known as "Godfather," which records user input, has been attacking 400 banking and cryptocurrency apps, including some in Germany. BaFin said that it was unclear how the malware infected consumers' devices. The malware displays fake websites of regular apps that can collect user login details and transmit them to cyber criminals, BaFin said. Reporting by Tom Sims and Marta Orosz Editing by Miranda MurrayOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ German finance minister eyes new growth package -FAZ
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Dec 27 (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has tasked his officials with preparing a growth package including lowering income and corporation tax, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) daily reported on Tuesday, citing an internal document. The document sets out what it describes as a "turning point in economic and financial policy" for Europe's biggest economy for the next two years, reported the newspaper. Arguing that Germany had fallen behind and that high energy prices, caused in part by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had put German companies under pressure, the document said state money was not a solution in the long run. "We cannot counter this challenge in the long run with more state money and industrial policy subsidies," the FAZ quoted the document as saying. In concrete terms, reported the FAZ, the document set out the case for a general reduction in income and corporation tax and also contained proposals for the labour market and social security.

Higher interest rates are fattening profits from regular banking, while there has been a decline in M&A deals. In both those years, the investment bank made close to 40% of revenue and more than 75% of pre-tax profit. The bank's corporate and retail businesses, meanwhile, stagnated under ultra-low interest rates that lasted longer than expected. Deutsche Bank is under scrutiny for its controls to prevent money laundering, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Deutsche Bank has also been under pressure from regulators to rein in its leveraged finance business, where credit is extended to already indebted borrowers.

☆ Germany's half-a-trillion dollar energy bazooka may not be enough
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Christoph Steitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Almost half a trillion dollars, and counting, since the Ukraine war jolted it into an energy crisis nine months ago. The money set aside stands at up to 440 billion euros ($465 billion), according to the calculations, which provide the first combined tally of all of Germany's drives aimed at avoiding running out of power and securing new sources of energy. That equates to about 1.5 billion euros a day since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Energy rationing is a risk in the event of a long cold spell this winter, Germany's first in half a century without Russian gas. There's no security in sight either, with the push to build up of two alternatives to Russian fuel - liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewables - years away from targeted levels.

☆ The rise and fall of Wirecard
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

July 2: The head of Germany's financial watchdog calls the accounting scandal at Wirecard "a massive criminal act". July 6: German prosecutors arrest the head of a Dubai-based subsidiary of Wirecard. 2021Jan. 29: Felix Hufeld, president of German financial watchdog BaFin, steps down. 2022Jan. 14: German prosecutors file first charges in Wirecard fraud, the Financial Times reports. Sept. 21: A Munich district court said it had admitted charges against former Wirecard executives, paving way for a trial.

☆ Germany is opposed to raising new money to support European competitiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGermany is opposed to raising new money to support European competitivenessGerman Finance Minister Christian Lindner told CNBC the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is an "invitation" for the region to reconsider its competitiveness.

☆ Germany says borrowing more money to compete with the U.S. would be a 'threat' to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS — Germany said Europe should refrain from borrowing more money to compete with U.S. green subsidies or its competitiveness will be threatened. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday "new and additional funding at the EU level" will be needed to make European companies more competitive in the transition to a greener economy. "There are some parts of Ursula von der Leyen initiative which [need] to be further debated, especially her proposal of [a] European sovereignty fund. However, they indicate where the commission believes the bloc should go to be in a better position to compete with the United States. "We have all heard the stories of producers that are considering to relocate future investment from Europe to the U.S.," von der Leyen said Sunday.

☆ German court dismisses challenge to 750 bln euro EU recovery fund
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Germany's constitutional court on Tuesday threw out a legal challenge to the European Union's 750-billion-euro ($786 billion) recovery fund, which saw the EU take on joint debt to help member states overcome the COVID-19 crisis. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner welcomed the ruling but said some aspects of the decision would have to be closely analysed by the government. The funds are to be repaid from the EU budget over the coming decades, with Germany shouldering by far the biggest share of any member state. The court ruled that the ratification act had not violated their right to democratic self-determination nor did it "impair the overall budgetary responsibility of the Bundestag". Lucke expressed disappointment at the ruling but said it was positive that the court had emphasized the EU has no general authority to take on common debt.

FRANKFURT, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Germany's Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) has a stark warning to European companies borrowing from U.S. lenders: They will drop you when times get tough. "There was evidence of non-German banks in this country taking lending off the table while German banks were going longer-credit during the pandemic, in 2020," he added, again without citing examples. Deutsche Bank has long highlighted a need for Europe to have strong banks to vie with U.S. and Chinese competitors, but the latest rhetoric signals a more aggressive tone. Campelli called for a "concerted approach" by politicians and regulators to support European banks. He said he wanted strong European banks in Germany and pushed back on being a mere U.S. bank.

☆ German finance ministry wants 33% windfall tax on energy firms - Die Welt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Germany's finance ministry aims to introduce a 33% tax on oil and gas companies that have benefited from windfall profits, Die Welt newspaper reported on Tuesday. Citing a draft document, Die Welt said companies in the oil, gas, coal and refining sectors whose profits for this and next year are more than 20% higher than the average profits of 2018 to 2021 would have to pay the extra tax. The plans are the implementation of a European Union-wide agreement on energy companies in response to high energy prices due to a collapse in supplies from Russia since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The ministry has estimated additional revenues of about three billion euros, said the newspaper. No one at the finance ministry was immediately available for comment.

The plans include the Bundesbank, Germany's central bank, hoarding extra billions to cope with a surge in demand, and possible limits on withdrawals, one of the people said. NO JUMPING THE LINEOne weakness that planning exposed involves security firms that transport money from the central bank to ATMs and banks. The organization hosted a meeting last week with central bank officials and lawmakers to press its case. At times politics can get in the way of blackout planning. He said that he has long been warning authorities of blackout risks but that planning has been inadequate.

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