Germany Rebuts Lew-Bernanke Criticism of Current Account Surplus

Jens Weidmann, president of the Bundesbank.
Michele Tantussi/Bloomberg

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By Stefan Riecher and Birgit Jennen

April 17, 2015 at 4:06 PM UTC

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The leaders of Germany’s economy fired back at U.S. criticism of their swelling current-account surplus, arguing it reflects the strength of their companies and the weakness of the euro rather than a lack of domestic demand.

“It would be absurd to discuss whether German competitiveness should be reduced to narrow the current-account surplus,” Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann said in Washington on Friday.