German exports fall in August as shipments to US decline

Germany’s exports fell 0.8% in August from the previous month, while imports increased, narrowing the country’s trade surplus, official data showed on Thursday.

Europe's biggest economy saw its exports amount to €137.6 billion ($154.1 billion), while imports rose 0.9% to €118.1 billion, according to provisional figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

The trade surplus narrowed to €19.5 billion ($21.8 billion) from €21.6 billion in July, but exceeded the market expectation of €19 billion ($21.3 billion). The surplus stood at €17.6 billion in August last year.

Compared with August 2025, exports increased 6.2% and imports rose 5.5%.

Shipments to the US, Germany’s largest export destination in August, dropped 6.3% from July to €13.5 billion. However, exports to the country remained 22.6% above their level a year earlier.

Exports to the UK jumped 16.7% month on month to €7.9 billion, while shipments to China increased 4.7% to €5.9 billion.

Meanwhile, imports from China, Germany’s largest source of imported goods, surged 11% to €16.8 billion. Imports from the US declined 0.5% to €8.1 billion, while those from the UK fell 3.8% to €3.2 billion.

German exports to EU member states decreased 0.6% to €77.5 billion, while imports from the bloc fell 0.4% to €59.3 billion.

Within the EU, exports to euro area countries rose 0.8%, while shipments to member states outside the currency bloc declined 3.5%.

Exports to countries outside the EU fell 1.1% to €60 billion, while imports increased 2.2% to €58.8 billion.

In the first eight months of 2026, Germany’s calendar and seasonally adjusted exports totaled €1.09 trillion, up 4.4% from the same period last year.