(Adds fell in lead)
By Maria Martinez
Oct 8 (Reuters) – German exports fell unexpectedly in August due to sharp decline in exports to the United States.
Exports fell by 0.8% compared with the previous month, data from the federal statistics office showed on Thursday.
The result compared with a forecast 0.6% increase in a Reuters poll.
Imports were up 0.9% on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared with July.
As a result, the trade surplus narrowed to €19.5 billion ($21.82 billion) in August from €21.6 billion in July.
Exports to EU countries dropped by 0.6% on the month, while exports to countries outside the EU decreased by 1.1%.
Exports to the United States fell by 6.3% on July, while exports to the United Kingdom increased by 16.7%.
Meanwhile, exports to China rose by 4.7% but imports increased by 11.0%.
($1 = 0.8935 euros)
(Reporting by Basile Day in Gdansk and Maria Martinez in Berlin, Editing by Friederike Heine)
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