Germany: Merchandise exports tank in December
Merchandise exports fell 4.2% on a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis in December (November: +3.5% mom s.a.), the sharpest fall since March. Meanwhile, merchandise imports tanked 6.5% (November: +1.5% mom s.a.).
As a result, the merchandise trade balance worsened from the previous month, recording a EUR 16.8 billion surplus in December (November 2023: EUR 22.4 billion surplus; December 2022: EUR 11.6 billion surplus). Lastly, the trend pointed up, with the 12-month trailing merchandise trade balance recording a EUR 206.4 billion surplus in December, compared to the USD 204.4 billion surplus in November.