The NBB’s balance sheet has tripled over the past 15 years. This finding regularly gives rise to questions about the Bank’s exposure to financial risks. In this regard, the balance sheet is not the only factor to consider. Read more in a new article on our blog by Jonas Willequet.

Consumer expectations regarding the macroeconomic situation have been revised upwards. On the other hand, households barely adjusted their assessment of their future financial situation and scaled back their saving intentions.

Foreign trade growth rates slipped further into the red in July. The effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine continue to be felt. Although the impact on Belgian trade remains limited overall, the country’s trade profile has been affected in 2023.

A few weeks ago, Credit Suisse and UBS published the Global Wealth Report 2023. According to the report, Belgians are the richest people in the world. But is this really true? Read the answer by economist Jan De Mulder on our blog.

The inflation outlook continues to be too high for too long. In light of the ongoing high inflation pressures, the Governing Council today decided to raise the three key ECB interest rates by 25 basis points.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is in favour of increasing the number of cash machines in Belgium. This is one of the takeaways from an ECB opinion issued further to a request by Pierre Wunsch, Governor of the National Bank of Belgium.

The latest quarterly statistics published by the NAI are in line with the July flash estimate and show that real GDP grew by 0.2% in the second quarter. According to our current estimates, GDP growth should hold steady at 0.2% in the third quarter of 2023.

Today, 1 September, the NBB is pleased to welcome a new director, Géraldine Thiry (lecturer in economics at ICHEC and UCLouvain). A member of the Council of Regency since 2021, Géraldine Thiry will be responsible for overseeing the Statistics Department and the Resolution Unit, which specialises in assisting banks facing financial difficulties.