According to the Wall Street Journal slower exports to China and a 1% decline in industrial production in May, makes Germany not the bright spot in the European Union that could lead the euro zone out of its longest postwar contraction.
"The production data come hot on the heels of a surprisingly weak trade report, indicating that Germany's economic recovery remains vulnerable to slack demand from the shrinking euro zone.
German exports of goods in May declined 2.4% on the month and were down 4.8% from May 2012, the federal statistics office said Monday, as euro zone exports slumped 9.6% on the year. At €88.2 billion ($113.1 billion), total goods exports in May hit their lowest level since December 2012, when Europe's largest economy was on the brink of recession".
"Chinese demand currently doesn't compensate for slack euro-zone orders", said Anton Boerner, the president of the BGA federation of German exporters and wholesalers.
