Germany's exports grew in February, but trade with China slowed sharply, the Federal Bureau of Statistics said Thursday, as Europe's largest economy felt the initial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Seasonally adjusted exports rose 1.3% in the month, while imports fell 1.6%. The Bureau said the trade surplus expanded to 21.6 billion euros from 18.7 billion euros last month.
Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected exports to fall 0.9% and imports to fall 0.7%. The trade surplus is expected to reach 17.5 billion euros.
Exports to China fell 8.9% year-on-year, while imports from China fell 12.0%, the Bureau said.
German manufacturers rely on the demand and supply chain of China, Germany's largest trading partner. Economists expect the impact of the virus to show up in February data and drive the economy to contract sharply.
The novel coronavirus transmission measures were slowed down in the second quarter, the biggest drop in the 9.8% quarter of 1970, the leading German think-tank said on Wednesday.
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