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German Import Slump Highlights Messy Economic Outlook: Chart

German Import Slump Highlights Messy Economic Outlook: Chart

German Import Slump Highlights Messy Economic Outlook: Chart

(Bloomberg) -- Germany’s trade surplus -- oft-criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration -- widened in August, but not because of an export boom. While overseas sales edged lower for a second month, imports snapped a four-month run of gains and tumbled 2.7 percent, the most in more than a year. Latest reports have shown factory orders rebounding and industrial output shrinking -- a messy picture that prompted ING-Diba economist Carsten Brzeski to describe Europe’s growth engine as “stuttering” and JPMorgan Chase’s Greg Fuzesi to say his “sense” is that it’s doing well, despite “very noisy” data.

To contact the reporter on this story: Piotr Skolimowski in Frankfurt at pskolimowski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Gordon at pgordon6@bloomberg.net, Lucy Meakin

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