German exports dropped for the second consecutive month in January but imports jumped more than expected, data showed on Thursday, in a sign that weak foreign demand held back growth in Europe’s biggest economy at the start of 2016.
Seasonally adjusted exports fell 0.5 percent on the month, after falling a revised 0.7 percent in December, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. Imports were up 1.2 percent, narrowing Germany’s trade surplus to 18.9 billion euros.
Economists had expected a rebound in exports with an increase of 0.5 percent, and a weaker increase in imports of 0.4 percent.