German Oct exports to U.S., Russia, UK

rise

FRANKFURT, Jan 7 (Reuters) - German exports to North America,

Japan, Great Britain and Russia rose significantly in October last year,

while sales to euro zone countries declined marginally, the German

Federal Statistics Office said on Friday.

Exports to the United States were up 12 percent year-on-year, indicating

an unabated appetite for German products in the new world, the statistics office said.

Shipments to Britain and Japan, up 5.7 and 12.6 percent respecitively, were noticably higher in October 1999 than a

year earlier, it said.

German exports to Russia were up 69.4 percent in October while exports to the 10 fellow euro zone countries were

down 0.1 percent.

Total exports were up 2.3 percent at 86.3 billion marks ($45.4 billion) in October.

In early December the stats office said the German trade balance was up 11.3 billion marks in October compared to the

previous month. The current account declined by 3.5 billion marks in October.

The value of goods imported by Germany in October last year was up 3.1 percent at 74.9 billion marks, the statistics

office said.

Imports from euro zone countries declined by 0.3 percent with goods arriving from Italy down by 14 percent.

Due to higher crude oil prices, imports from Russia and Norway -- Germany's most important providers of crude oil

-- were also up by 30 and 42.8 percent respectively, the statistics office said. ($1=1.899 Mark)

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