German Exports Hit Record High Despite Sharp Decline in Trade with the US

German exports reached a historic high in June 2026, according to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office, Destatis. The result comes as Europe’s largest economy shows signs of improving industrial activity while continuing to face difficulties in some of its most important foreign markets.
After calendar and seasonal adjustment, Germany exported goods worth €139.3 billion in June. This represented an increase of 0.9% compared with May and 6.6% compared with the same month of 2025.
The figure is the highest monthly value recorded so far, surpassing the previous peak of €139.1 billion registered in September 2022. German exports increased for a fifth consecutive month.
The record, however, was not driven by strong performance across all major markets. Trade with the United States showed a particularly significant decline.
German exports to the US were worth €12.1 billion in June, falling by 14.2% compared with the previous month and by 1.2% compared with June 2025.
The United States remains one of the most important markets for German industry, particularly for the automotive, mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Continued weakness in US demand therefore remains an important risk for German manufacturers.
The situation was considerably stronger in trade with the United Kingdom. German exports to the British market increased by 7.7% compared with May, reaching €7.3 billion.
China also remains a major trading partner, although German exports to the country showed little momentum. They declined by 0.3% compared with the previous month to €6.2 billion.
At the same time, German imports increased significantly faster than exports. Germany imported goods worth €123.9 billion in June, an increase of 4.4% compared with May and 8.4% compared with the same month a year earlier.
This was one of the highest monthly import values ever recorded in Germany. A higher figure had been registered only once, in November 2022.
China strengthened its position as a key supplier to the German economy. Imports from China reached €16.5 billion in June, rising by 9.1% in just one month.
Imports from the United States moved in the opposite direction, declining by 9.6% to €8.7 billion. Imports from the United Kingdom also fell sharply, dropping by 16.7% to €3.2 billion.
The rapid increase in overall imports affected Germany’s trade balance. Despite record exports, the country’s trade surplus narrowed from €19.3 billion in May to €15.4 billion in June.
The latest figures follow a prolonged difficult period for the German economy, which has been affected by weak domestic demand, high production costs and challenges facing several traditionally powerful industrial sectors.
There have also been positive signals from industry. Improvements in manufacturing activity and new orders have strengthened hopes that Europe’s largest economy could perform better during the second half of the year.
The export record should nevertheless be interpreted with some caution. A record nominal value of goods sold abroad does not automatically mean an equally strong increase in the physical volume of production, while German industry remains heavily dependent on international trade.
Relations with the United States and China will be particularly important in the coming months. Both markets have played a crucial role for German automotive, engineering and industrial companies for many years.
The June figures nevertheless provide an important positive signal. After years of weak economic growth, Germany has reached the highest nominal monthly export value in its statistics despite a significant decline in sales to the US market.