China exports up 11.6 percent, imports 4.6 percent

BEIJING: Annual growth in China's exports and imports slowed in October, data showed reinforcing signs of fragility in the world's second-largest economy that could prompt policymakers to roll out more stimulus measures. Exports have been the lone bright spot in the last few months, perhaps helping to offset soft domestic demand, but there are doubts about the accuracy of the official numbers amid signs a resurgence of speculative currency flows through inflated trade receipts.

Exports rose 11.6 per cent in October from a year earlier, slowing from a 15.3 per cent jump in September, the General Administration of Customs said. The figure was slightly above market expectations. A decline in China's leading index on exports in October pointed to weaker export growth in the next two to three months, the administration said. Imports rose an annual 4.6 per cent in October, pulling back from a 7 per cent rise in September, and were weaker than expected. That left the country with a trade surplus of $45.4 billion for the month, which was near record highs.

Source : dailyshippingtimes.com