BERLIN (Reuters) - German exports dropped for the second consecutive month in January while imports jumped more than expected, in a sign that weak foreign demand from China and other emerging markets held back growth in Europe’s biggest economy at the start of 2016.

Containers are pictured at the loading terminal Altenwerder in the harbour of Hamburg, Germany February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

The trade data underlined an ongoing shift in the German economy away from a traditional reliance on exports and towards more consumer-driven growth as demand from China and Russia wanes.

“That was a weak start into the year. The slowdown in China is hitting exports. Brazil and Russia also are weak spots,” said Volker Treier, economist at the DIHK Chambers of Commerce.

“But imports have picked up. This signals a revival of domestic investment.”

Seasonally adjusted exports fell 0.5 percent on the month after declining a revised 0.7 percent in December, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. Imports were up 1.2 percent, narrowing Germany’s trade surplus to 18.9 billion euros.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a rebound in exports with an increase of 0.5 percent, and a weaker rise in imports of 0.4 percent.

“The symptoms of overall weak global trade are obvious,” VP Bank analyst Thomas Gitzel said.

“The stock market turmoil of recent weeks and concerns about the economy unsettle businesses and consumers around the globe, which is also hitting German exports.”

A breakdown of the trade data on an unadjusted basis showed demand from countries outside the European Union fell by 5 percent, while exports to EU countries rose by 1.0 percent.

Imports from other EU countries increased by 3.0 percent while imports from other regions fell by 1.1 percent.

The German government expects imports to rise at a faster rate than exports throughout 2016 due to falling demand from emerging markets and strong domestic demand.

This means net foreign trade is likely to hinder growth, a remarkable development for an economy that for decades has relied on exports, led by its engineering and auto sectors.

Recent data painted a mixed picture of the German economy with industrial output rising at its fastest pace in more than six years in January while factory orders fell less than expected at the beginning of 2016.

At the same time, sentiment among German manufacturers plunged last month by its largest amount since the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in 2008 as concerns about a weaker global growth outlook and nervousness about geopolitical risks increased.