Germany’s record trade surplus is possible grist to Trump’s mill
Berlin — Germany’s trade surplus climbed to a record high in 2016, official data showed on Thursday, days after US President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser accused Berlin of exploiting a "grossly undervalued" euro to its advantage. The surplus is likely to worsen tension between Washington and Berlin, which is trying to safeguard global free trade this year during its presidency of the Group of 20 leading economies, adopting the motto, "Shaping an Interconnected World". Germany’s trade surplus for 2016 rose to €252.9bn, surpassing the previous high of €244.3bn, the Federal Statistics Office said. "The record surplus will continue to fuel the conflict with the USA and within the EU," said Marcel Fratzscher, head of the DIW economic institute, an advocate of stronger investment in Germany. "European neighbours would benefit from stronger investment in Germany," he said. "Germany, however, would profit first and foremost, as the investment gap and the resulting excessive trade surplu...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.