The fifth-largest economy in the world and within the Euro Area, Germany is the second-largest exporter in the world and exports account for more than one-third of national output. The export of high-value-added products has therefore been the primary driver of growth in recent years. A look at the GDP composition on the expenditure side reveals that it is dominated by household consumption (55%), gross capital formation (20%, with 10% of that coming from construction, 6% from machinery and equipment, and 4% from other products), and government expenditure (19%). Exports of goods and services account for 46% of GDP, while imports account for 39%, with imports contributing an additional 7% to overall GDP.
A higher than expected figure should be seen as positive (bullish) for the EUR while a lower than expected figure should be seen as negative (bearish) for the EUR.
