German trade balance surplus rose more than expected in August

Germany exported goods to the value of 105.2 billion euros and imported goods to the value of 88.1 billion euros in August 2018. Based on provisional data, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that German exports in August 2018 increased by 2.2% and imports by 6.2% on August 2017. After calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports were down 0.1% and imports 2.7% compared with July 2018.

The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 17.2 billion euros in August 2018. In August 2017, the surplus amounted to +20.0 billion euros. In calendar and seasonally adjusted terms, the foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of 18.3 billion euros in August 2018.

According to provisional results of the Deutsche Bundesbank, the current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of 15.3 billion euros in August 2018, which takes into account the balances of trade in goods including supplementary trade items (+18.2 billion euros), services (-5.6 billion euros), primary income (+6.5 billion euros) and secondary income (-3.8 billion euros). In August 2017, the German current account showed a surplus of 17.8 billion euros.