German exports rise 4.4% in April despite dwindling trade with Russia

Data released by the German Federal Statistics Office on Friday showed that the country’s exports rose more than expected in April, rising 4.4 percent from the previous month, while imports rose 3.1 percent.

A Reuters poll had expected exports to rise 1.5 percent on a monthly basis.

Exports from Germany to Russia fell in April by 10 percent, after falling 60 percent in March, the office said, amid tough Western sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

The office said Germany’s seasonally adjusted trade surplus amounted to 3.5 billion euros ($3.76 billion) in April, compared to expectations for a surplus of 1.6 billion euros.