Exports fell 4.6 in December, versus poll forecast for 2 fall
Ifo Institute says lack of manufacturing orders weighing on economy
Economists warn data pointing to another recession

BERLIN, Feb 5 Reuters German exports fell more than expected in December due to weak global demand, data from the federal statistics office showed on Monday.

Exports fell by 4.6 in December compared with the previous month. The result compared with a forecast 2.0 decrease in a Reuters poll.

Exports to EU countries fell by 5.5 compared with the previous month, while exports to countries outside the EU declined by 3.5, the office said.

Imports fell by 6.7 from November, the federal statistics office reported, versus analysts39; expectations for a 1.5 decline. 

These are recessionary numbers, consistent with overall difficult economic conditions in the German economy, said Claus Vistesen, chief eurozone economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

The foreign trade balance showed a calendar and seasonally adjusted surplus of 22.2 billion euros 23.92 billion in December, versus a surplus of 20.8 billion euros the previous month.

Germany39;s trade surplus in goods climbed further at the end of 2023, adding to the evidence that net exports were a significant help to GDP growth in the fourth quarter, even if it did little to prevent an overall fall in economic output, said Vistesen.

RECESSION WARNING

Gross domestic product contracted by 0.3 in the fourth quarter compared to the previous…