German industrial output rises, exports unexpectedly up in April

German industrial production rose more than expected in April and exports unexpectedly rose, bringing some hope for Europe's biggest economy in the second quarter.

Industrial production rose by 0.4% in April compared to the previous month, the federal statistics office said on Tuesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a 0.5% rise.

The less volatile three-month on three-month comparison showed that production was 0.5% lower in the period from February to April than in the previous three months.

After revision of the provisional results, production decreased by 0.1% in March compared with February, instead of falling by 0.7%.

EXPORTS ON THE RISE

German exports rose unexpectedly by 0.9% in April compared with the previous month, separate data from the federal statistics office showed on Tuesday. The result compared with a forecast for a 0.5% decrease in a Reuters poll.

Imports rose by 1.2% on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared with March 2026.

As a result, the trade balance slightly narrowed to a surplus of €14.5 billion ($16.74 billion) in April from €14.7 billion in March.

($1 = 0.8662 euros)

(Additional reporting by Cian MuensterEditing by Linda Pasquini)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 2:31 AM.