Japan’s exports rise 7.3% year/year in March

JAPAN’S exports grew 7.3 per cent year-on-year in March, up for the fourth straight month, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday.

The reading compared with a 7.0 per cent increase seen in a Reuters poll of economists and followed a 7.8 per cent gain in the previous month.

Imports fell 4.9 per cent in the year to March, versus a decline of 4.7 per cent expected and a 0.5 per cent gain in February.

As a result, the trade balance stood at a surplus of 366.5 billion yen (S$3.23 billion), compared with the forecast of 299.9 billion yen. REUTERS