Eurozone banks' excess liquidity highly concentrated – ECB

German and French banks hoarding cash

Excess liquidity among eurozone banks is unevenly spread across countries, which could contribute to sudden spikes in euro interest rates.

Data from the European Central Bank, analysed by executive board member Benoît Cœuré in a speech on November 12, shows that the excess reserves of eurozone banks are concentrated in a handful of lenders in just a few countries.

German banks account for the largest portion of excess reserves in the eurozone, holding amounts equivalent to 12.3% of total