You are connecting from Lake Geneva Public Library, please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.
Published 13 hours ago • loading... • Updated 1 hour ago
German exports fall for first time in five months
Shipments to China fell 9.5% and exports to other euro zone countries dropped 2.8%, Destatis said.
German exports fell 0.8% to €138.2 billion in July, marking the first decline in five months, according to Destatis. The trade surplus widened to €21.3 billion as imports fell 5.7% to €116.9 billion.
Shipments to China dropped 9.5% and exports to other parts of Europe fell 2.8%, dragging down performance. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected a smaller 0.5% decline, making the fall steeper than markets priced in.
Exports to Germany's top destination jumped more than 19% as shipments continue recovering from weakness triggered by President Donald Trump's tariff blitz. This rebound provides contrast to broader European trade weakness.
Indicators from earlier this year prompted several think-tanks last week to upgrade growth forecasts for this year to between 1.2% and 1.4%. These revisions suggest resilience despite the recent export weakness.
Official data published on Tuesday revives doubts about the solidity of the recovery in Europe's biggest economy. Economists continue monitoring trade data to determine if July's slump signals a temporary setback or deeper trend.
Due to declining demand, German companies exported fewer goods in July. But there is also good news: An industry reports a strong increase in orders and the prospect of new jobs.
German exports unexpectedly fell in July, snapping a five-month streak of growth. The latest data overshadowed expectations of a recovery in Europe's largest economy, Bloomberg reported.