German exports rebounded in February after dipping to start the year but imports rose at a faster pace, raising questions about whether trade will support growth in Europe’s largest economy going forward.

Seasonally-adjusted exports rose 1.5 per cent on the month after dipping by 2.1 per cent in January, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. That was slightly better than a Reuters consensus forecast for a 1 per cent increase.

Imports rose by 1.8 per cent, a stronger increase than the 1.2 per cent acceleration expected by economists.

The trade surplus for February remained broadly steady at €19.7 billion.

Reuters