Germany's finances in black in first half

Germany ran up a general government surplus of 8.5 billion euros ($11.3 billion) in the first six months of this year, equivalent to 0.6 percent of output, data showed Friday. "Net lending of general government amounted to 8.5 billion euros in the first half of 2013," the national statistics office Destatis said in a statement. "When measured by the gross domestic product (of 1.3 trillion euros), this results in a ratio of 0.6 percent. The budgets of central government, state governments, local government and social security funds benefited from a generally good employment situation and a stable economic development in the first half of 2013 compared with other European countries," Destatis said.