German exports bounce back in May

8 July 2011 Last updated at 09:22 GMT Economists expect German export growth to slow down in coming months Exports from Germany staged a stronger-than-expected recovery in May.

The value of goods and services sold rose 4.3% from a month earlier to 92.1bn euros ($132bn, ?82bn).

Imports also rose by 3.7% - not enough to stop the country's trade surplus jumping from 10.8bn to 14.8bn euros.

The export recovery largely reverses a 5.6% drop seen the month before, which had sparked concern that the post-recession trade bounce may have topped out, presaging an economic slowdown.

Compared with a year earlier, exports were up 19.9%, while imports had risen 15.6%, according to official data from the Federal Statistics Office.

"The upswing is still there," said Andreas Rees, economist at Italian bank Unicredit. "Companies are sitting on a mountain of backlogged orders... the general picture for exports remains intact."

Economists expect the dynamism of the German export recovery to dissipate over coming months as demand from China and the US - particularly for engineering and investment goods - weakens.

But the hope is that stronger demand from German consumers will take up the slack.

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Orgy reward for German insurer's star salesmen

19 May 2011 Last updated at 13:16 GMT By Stephen Evans BBC News, Berlin A recent photo of Munich Re's headquarters and its sculpture Man Walking One of the biggest insurance companies in the world held a party for salesmen where they were rewarded with the services of prostitutes.

Munich Re is the world's biggest re-insurer - in other words, the company acts as an insurance company for other insurance companies.

One of its divisions, Ergo, told the BBC that the party had taken place to reward salesmen in 2007.

A spokesman said the people who organised it had since left.

The gathering was held at a thermal baths in the Hungarian capital Budapest as a reward to particularly successful salesmen.

'Whatever they liked'

There were about 100 guests and 20 prostitutes were hired.

A German business newspaper said the prostitutes had worn colour-coded arm-bands designating their availability, and the women had their arms stamped after each service rendered.

According to Handelsblatt, quoting an unnamed participant, guests were able to take the women to four-poster beds at the spa "and do whatever they liked".

"After each such encounter the women were stamped on the lower arm in order to keep track of how often each woman was frequented," the paper quoted the man as saying.

"The women wore red and yellow wrist bands. One lot were hostesses, the others would fulfil your every wish.

"There were also women with white wrist bands. They were reserved for board members and the very best sales reps."

A spokesman for Ergo told the BBC that the party had happened, but said it was not the usual way of rewarding their employees.

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German hairdresser awarded best beard prize

16 May 2011 Last updated at 00:20 GMT Mr Weisser said his beard reached his waist when it had not been styled A German hairdresser has won the title of world's best beard at the World Beard and Moustache Championship in Trondheim, Norway.

Elmar Weisser, 47, beat 160 contestants to the prize with his elaborate facial hair sculpture of a moose.

It is the third time Mr Weisser has emerged as champion.

In 2005 he won with with a beard styled into the shape of Berlin's Brandenberg Gate, and in 2007 with a representation of London's Tower Bridge.

He said he had begun preparing his creation for the Trondheim event at 7am, with the help of his sister.

"When my beard isn't styled, it goes down to my waist. It is sort of folded up," he told the AFP news agency.

The World Beard and Moustache Championship has been running every two years since 1995 and its organisers say it is "the premier event in the international sport of bearding".

Contestants from all over the world compete in 14 categories, including natural goatee, sideburns freestyle, Hungarian moustache and imperial partial beard.

Organisers say the field has traditionally been dominated by Europeans but that the US, which has twice hosted the event, is fast becoming "the world's new facial hair super power".

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