German economy grows by 0.3% in Q1, driven by exports

BERLIN - The German economy grew by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, the statistics office said on Friday, confirming its preliminary reading.

Exports rose considerably at the start of the year, helping Germany's economic performance, said Ruth Brand, president of the statistics office.

Total exports of goods and services rose by 3.3% following a decline in exports in the fourth quarter of 2025, while imports only increased by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter.

Government spending increased by 1.1%, while household spending stagnated.

Investment declined by 1.5% in the first quarter.

(Reporting by Maria Martinez, Writing by Friederike Heine, editing by Ludwig Burger)

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 2:12 AM.