Germany German export industry is struggling

A damper for Germany's exporters: after an interim high in August, companies delivered fewer goods abroad again in September.

According to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office, exports totaled 128.2 billion euros, 1.7 percent below the level of August 2024. There was also a drop of 0.2 percent compared to September 2023.

Growing competition for "Made in Germany" on the global markets, for example from China, as well as structural problems in German industry, such as the high energy prices in international comparison, have been causing problems for Germany as an export nation for some time. According to the Wiesbaden-based authority, exports from January to September of the current year, adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects, were 1.0 percent lower than in the same period of the previous year at 1175.5 billion euros.

Meanwhile, imports rose to 111.3 billion euros in September - an increase compared to both the previous month (plus 2.1 percent) and the same month last year (plus 1.3 percent). In the nine-month period from January to September, imports to Germany totaled 988.6 billion euros, 4.2% less than a year ago.

SDA