German exports unexpectedly declined in November, while industrial output recorded an unexpected increase, according to official figures released on Friday.
Exports from Germany fell by 2.5% month on month in November, data from the federal statistics office showed. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected exports to remain unchanged.
Imports, meanwhile, rose by 0.8% on a calendar- and seasonally adjusted basis, pointing to firmer domestic demand.
Germany’s foreign trade surplus narrowed to €13.1 billion ($15.26 billion) in November 2025, down from €17.2 billion in October and €20.0 billion in November last year.
Industrial Production Defies Forecasts
German industrial production surprised to the upside in November, increasing by 0.8% compared with the previous month, the statistics office said. Analysts had instead forecast a decline of 0.4%.
Earlier data also showed a sharp rise in industrial orders, which jumped 5.6% in November. However, the increase was largely driven by large-scale contracts rather than broad-based demand, according to figures released on Thursday.
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