German foreign trade figures: August 2026 exports and imports
Why it matters
German trade figures are an early stress signal for European industrial demand, China exposure, U.S. tariff effects and clean-tech supply-chain shifts.
What to watch
- Exports to the United States and China.
- Imports from China in batteries, solar, electronics and machinery-adjacent categories.
- Whether weak orders or high energy costs are flowing into trade volumes.
- UN Comtrade HS-level detail and IMF partner-country totals as cross-checks against Destatis releases.
Result captured
German trade in August 2026: exports were EUR 137.6 billion (-0.8% m/m), imports were EUR 118.1 billion (+0.9% m/m), and the seasonally adjusted trade surplus was EUR 19.5 billion.
The headline figure is EUR 137.6 billion, down EUR 0.6 billion from EUR 138.2 billion in the previous release.
Briefing
German exports have stalled while imports resumed growth, narrowing the trade surplus to its lowest level in months and signaling weakening external demand even as domestic input costs rise.
Sources
- Destatis Außenhandel theme page
- UN Comtrade Plus
- IMF International Trade in Goods by partner country, formerly DOTS
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