By David SchusterAUGUSTA, Ga.
(Reuters) – German exports rose to $5.7 billion last month as domestic demand boosted exports to Asia and Europe, a boost to an economy struggling to maintain its long-term growth momentum.
German exports to the United States and the European Union grew at a faster rate than in the first quarter of this year, while exports to Canada rose faster than the European Central Bank expects.
That trend contrasts with the strong U.S. dollar and slowing global growth, which has hurt German exports, which are largely driven by German cars, cars and machinery.
German economic growth was also solid, with the economy growing by 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter.
German exports to Russia, the world’s second-largest economy, increased by 0 and 1 percent respectively.
The government says the economy is expected to grow by 1.5 to 1.6 percent in 2019 and 1.9 to 1,2 percent in 2020.
The data will be released at the end of the year.
The German economy grew by 1 percent in 2017, but its growth rate since then has been flat.
In 2018, German exports were up 1.7 percent and in 2019 they were up 3.5.
The export figures for the quarter were also stronger than forecasts, which had forecasters expecting a decline in exports.
The economy expanded by 0 percent in 2018, but is expected by some analysts to shrink 0.1 percent this year.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the BBC in March that exports had been buoyed by the economic slowdown in China.
China’s growth rate is slowing.
China is also slowing its own economic growth, as the government has reduced subsidies and tax breaks.
That has made exports to Germany more expensive.
The number of vehicles sold in Germany has risen steadily over the past two years, from 4.4 million in 2020 to 4.7 million in 2021.
The rise in exports has been driven by a surge in the number of cars sold in the country.
The exports to South Korea also rose.
It is the third-largest export market for Germany, after the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
The trade balance with South Korea, however, was lower than expected.
The trade deficit in goods with South Korean companies fell by 2.2 percent.