German Exports Fall

Not a good sign for Europe's largest economy

(Reuters)—German exports fell the most since late 2009 in May and industrial output tumbled, suggesting Europe's largest economy is struggling to regain traction, although a rise in imports pointed to robust domestic demand.

Combined with last week's figures showing a sharp drop in industrial orders and contraction in the manufacturing sector, the data underscores how much Germany is suffering from weaker demand in Europe and now in China, too.