Exports from Europe’s biggest economy to China, which is where the coronavirus first emerged, slumped by 8.9 per cent in February compared with the same month last year, Germany’s Federal Statistics Office (Destatis) said on Thursday. Imports from China sunk by 12 per cent.

“Major effects of the coronavirus crisis on foreign trade results can be expected from the reference month of March 2020,” Destatis said upon releasing the data.

German exports to China dropped by 6.5 per cent in January compared to a year earlier, Destatis said. Imports from China were down by 0.5 per cent.

However, solid demand from European Union states outside the eurozone resulted in the monthly total of German exports posting an increase of 1.3 per cent in February after edging up by 0.1 per cent in January.

Analysts had forecast a one-per-cent slump with the February gain representing the third monthly consecutive rise in exports.

Total German imports fell 1.6 per cent in February after rising 0.6 per cent in January, Destatis said.

The February trade surplus widened to 21.6 billion euros (23.5 billion dollars) from 18.7 billion euros in January, Thursday’s data showed.