Germany's Monster Quarter

Germany is absolutely on a tear. The economy grew at an annualized rate of nearly 9 percent last quarter, stoked by huge export growth. In a weird way, the debt crisis has helped, at least temporarily. A weak Euro is making German products more affordable outside the Eurozone, just as the developing world emerges from the recession with income to buy the cheaper cars, machines and equipment that Germany is selling.

The question is whether or not this kind of growth is sustainable for a country whose largest export partner, the EU, is undergoing spending cuts and tax increases that will freeze some consumer demand. As the continent's economy slows down in the second half of this year, there's simply no way for Germany to keep up 9 percent growth all year.

But the recovery in China and India will offset some of that. As JOS writes in the Economist:

China is a prized customer for the German firms that supply kit for power plants and other infrastructure projects. Small producers of niche capital goods have also seen a surge in orders. German cars have been selling well to affluent consumers in emerging markets. Sales of luxury Mercedes cars to China tripled in the year to July. Sales to India more than doubled. Other carmakers, such as VW and BMW, have prospered too.