(Reuters) – German exports fell 0.5% in August from the previous month, an unexpected decline, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office released on Thursday.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a rise of 0.3% in August, after a fall of -0.6% in June.
Imports fell over one month in August by 1.3% after a decline of 0.1% the previous month, while economists were expecting -0.5%.
Exports to the United States fell 2.5% compared to July.
Donald Trump’s administration imposed a 15% import tariff on most goods from the European Union, as part of a July deal with the 27-nation bloc aimed at avoiding a trade war between the two economic heavyweights, which account for nearly a third of global trade.
The United States was Germany’s largest trading partner in 2024, with bilateral goods trade totaling €253 billion.
German exports to non-EU countries increased by 2.2% in August, while those to EU countries fell by 2.5%.
(Written by Elena Smirnova, with Cian Muenster and Maria Rugamer; edited by Blandine Hénault)
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