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The Corporate Saving Glut and the Current Account in Germany

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  • Thorsten Klug
  • Eric Mayer
  • Tobias Schuler
Abstract
We investigate for Germany the positive correlation between the corporate savings glut in the non-financial corporate sector and the current account surplus from a capital account perspective. By employing sign restrictions our findings suggest that mostly labor market, world demand and financial friction shocks can account for the joint dynamics of excess corporate savings and the current account surplus. Private savings shocks, in contrast, cannot explain the correlation. We conclude that a corporate savings glut is a main driver of the current account surplus.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorsten Klug & Eric Mayer & Tobias Schuler, 2018. "The Corporate Saving Glut and the Current Account in Germany," ifo Working Paper Series 280, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ifowps:_280
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucia Granelli & Martin Habet & Guergana Stanoeva & Gaetano D’Adamo & Robert Gampfer, 2020. "Puzzles in Non-Financial Corporate Sector Savings across the G20," European Economy - Economic Briefs 063, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    2. Ruppert, Kilian & Stähler, Nikolai, 2020. "Household savings, capital investments and public policies: What drives the German current account?," Discussion Papers 41/2020, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    3. Schuler, Tobias & Sun, Yiqiao, 2022. "The current account and monetary policy in the euro area," Working Paper Series 2696, European Central Bank.
    4. Ruppert, Kilian & Stähler, Nikolai, 2022. "What drives the German current account? Household savings, capital investments and public policies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    5. Demary, Markus & Hasenclever, Stefan & Hüther, Michael, 2020. "How will the COVID-19-crisis affect the trend in corporate saving?," IW-Reports 61/2020, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW) / German Economic Institute.

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    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F45 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Macroeconomic Issues of Monetary Unions

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