German exports rose 3.8 percent in the month in September, data from the national statistics office Destatis, showed Monday, in a signal of the ongoing economic recovery.

Exports were 18.8 percent below the levels of a year earlier. Imports rose 5.8 percent on the month, but were down 16.3 percent on the year.

The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of €10.6 billion in September 2009. In September 2008, the surplus had amounted to €15.3 billion. After seasonal adjustment, the foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of €9.9 billion in September 2009.
 
According to provisional results of the Deutsche Bundesbank, the current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of €9.4 billion in September 2009, which included the balance of services (– €2.1 billion), factor income net (+ €4.5 billion), current transfers (– €2.9 billion), and supplementary trade items (– €0.7 billion). In September 2008, the German current account showed a surplus of €15.5 billion.

In September 2009, Germany shipped goods to the value of €45.7 billion to European Union (EU) countries, while it received commodities to the value of €37.9 billion from those countries. Compared with September 2008, dispatches to and arrivals from the EU countries decreased by 16.3% and 16.5%, respectively. Commodities to the value of €30.9 billion (–15.5%) were dispatched to the Eurozone countries in September 2009, while the value of the commodities received from those countries was €26.6 billion (–18.1%). In September 2009, commodities to the value of €14.9 billion (–18.0%) were dispatched to EU countries not belonging to the Eurozone, while the value goods imported from those countries was €11.3 billion (–12.6%).

Exports to countries outside the European Union (third countries) amounted to €24.3 billion in September 2009, while imports from those countries amounted to €21.5 billion. Compared with September 2008, exports to third countries decreased by 23.1% and imports from those countries by 15.8%.