Berlin  - German exports surged by a more-than-forecast 3.8 per cent in September, adding strength to the recovery in Europe's biggest economy, data released Monday showed.

Analysts had expected Germany's statistics office would report that the world's leading export nation had posted only a 2.5-per-cent increase month-on-month in September.

The sharp rise in exports came despite the strong performance of the euro in recent months.

German imports jumped by 5.8 per cent in September, the statistics office said.

But underscoring the impact of the recession on the nation's economy, September exports fell 18.8 per cent compared with the same month last year. Imports were down 16.3 per cent year-on-year in September. (dpa)