Euro zone exports fell for the third month in a row in August, official data showed today, in a further sign of the lacklustre state of European economy.
Deepening worries over the state of the euro zone economy have sent markets plummeting in recent days, and the latest trade data underline analyst warnings that that recession could return.
The EU's official Eurostat agency also confirmed that inflation in the euro zone had dipped to 0.3% in September, the lowest level since financial debt crisis in 2009.
Low inflation has become a central problem for the euro zone economy, with sluggish demand from households and businesses slowing price rises and stoking deflation worries.
Today's figures show that exports from the euro zone dipped by 0.9% in August compared with July to €140.5 billion, the agency said. Exports had already dropped by 0.3% the month before.
Overall, the 18-nation currency bloc posted a slimmer €9.2 billion trade surplus in August, down from €21.6 billion the month before.
In August, powerhouse Germany posted the EU's biggest trade surplus, €124.5 billion for the year to date, followed by the Netherlands at €34.6 billion.
The UK posted the widest trade deficit, at €76.2 billion, in the wider European Union followed by France, Spain and Greece.
Imports into the euro zone overall also fell, losing 3.1% and snapping three consecutive months of rises.
Across the whole 28-nation European Union, exports dropped, by 2.1% over the period, while imports sank 4%.
