China Aug exports rise 5.5%, imports up 13.3%

[BEIJING] China's August exports rose by 5.5 per cent from a year earlier, roughly in-line with expectations, while imports beat forecasts, growing 13.3 per cent, official data showed on Friday.

That left the country with a trade surplus of US$41.99 billion for the month, the General Administration of Customs said, the lowest since May.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected August shipments from the world's largest exporter to have risen 6 per cent, easing from 7.2 per cent growth in July.

Imports had been expected to have climbed 10 per cent, after rising 11 per cent in July.

Analysts were expecting China's trade surplus to have widened to US$48.6 billion in August from July's US$46.73 billion.

After several lean years, China's trade performance has rebounded this year thanks to strong demand at home and abroad.

While exports are contributing to China's economic growth once again, global investors have been more focused on its strong appetite for industrial commodities such as iron ore and coal, which is boosting resources prices worldwide.

REUTERS