February 13, 2002	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 29, 1422

WIESBADEN, Feb 12: Germany’s trade surplus widened in December, even if both imports and exports continued to be hit by the global economic downturn, data published by the Federal Statistics Office on Tuesday showed.

Germany posted a trade surplus of $7.0 billion in December, up from the surplus of 7.3 billion euros in November, and way above the surplus of 1.7 billion euros in December 2000, the office said in a statement.

On the export side, foreign demand for German-made goods fell by 3.6 per cent year-on-year in December.

But imports were down 17.0 per cent, hit by falling oil and petrol prices, the data showed.

The biggest euro-zone economy exported goods worth a total 48.2 billion euros in December, down from 54.9 billion euros in November and down from 50.0 billion euros in December 2000, the office continued.

Imports totalled 40.2 billion euros in December, down from 47.5 billion in Nov and from 48.4 billion euros in December 2000.

Taking into account trade in services and other income, Germany’s current account showed a surplus of 1.3 billion euros in December, narrower than the surplus of 2.0 billion euros in November, and compared with a deficit of 6.4 billion euros in December 2000.

Looking at the year as a whole, the German trade surplus grew to 93.9 billion euros in the period from the January to December from 59.1 billion euros a year earlier.—AFP