German Economic Decline

By Maria Martinez
(Reuters) – German exports and industrial output fell more than expected in September, revealing the weakness of these economic pillars at the start of Q4.

Exports declined by 1.7% in September compared to the previous month, as reported by the federal statistics office on Thursday. This result was worse than the predicted 1.4% decrease from a Reuters poll.

The potential second presidency of Donald Trump, who has promised a 10% tariff on imports from all countries, poses a threat to German industry and exports. Germany would be significantly impacted if a Trump presidency triggered a trade war between the United States and Europe, which could turn its industrial strength into a vulnerability.

Industrial output also fell by 2.5% in September, according to federal statistics, surpassing the anticipated 1.0% decline from a Reuters poll.