The observation, analysis and forecasting of inflationary trends is of particular interest to all economic agents -not just to institutions with monetary policy tasks. Almost all central banks have specified a price target as the final goal of monetary policy, for example, and some central banks...

This paper introduces the Deutsche Bundesbank's new procedure for estimating the term structure of interest rates. It describes the basic methodological approaches used (Nelson and Siegel (1987) and Svensson (1994)) and some fundamental concepts which are important for estimating and...

The purpose of the present paper is twofold. First, it describes zero-coupon yield curve estimates for Germany from September 1972 to February 1996 using a variety of curve-fitting procedures. Second, these estimates are tested for their information content regarding future inflation

This paper analyses the role of bank-related constraints in explaining the sharp slowdown in bank lending to non-financial corporations in Germany during the recent financial crisis. We use a panel approach based on a unique data set which matches the individual responses of the banks...

We analyze the effect of geographic proximity on individual investors' portfolio choice. Using a unique data set which covers the common stockholdings of private households at regional banks in Germany, we document strong and consistent overinvestment in geographically close companies. Our...

Information economics has emerged as the primary theoretical lens for framing financing decisions in firm R&D investment. Successful outcomes of R&D projects are either ex-ante impossible to predict or the information is asymmetrically distributed between inventors and investors. As a result,...

This paper explores the impact dividend taxes exert on the dividends repatriated from foreign affiliates to their German parent company. Based on an augmented Lintner model of firms' dividend payout decisions, the paper focusses on cross-border intra-firm dividend payments of wholly-owned...

The aim of this paper is to analyse the effects of knowledge management on the innovation success of firms in Germany. Using a matching procedure on data from the German Innovation Survey of 2003 (Mannheim Innovation Panel), we pair firms applying knowledge management with twin firms with...