Japan Feb exports fall 4% y-o-y: MOF

[TOKYO] Japan's exports fell 4 per cent in February from a year earlier, which was slower than a decline in the previous month, but economists worry that a renewed slowdown in emerging markets could curb future export growth.

The fall was more than the median estimate of a 3.1 per cent decrease in a Reuters poll of economists. It followed a 12.9 per cent year-on-year decline in January.

Imports fell 14.2 per cent in the year to February, versus the median estimate of a 15.2 per cent decrease.

The trade balance came to a surplus of 242.8 billion yen (S$3 billion), versus the median estimate of a 388.6 billion yen surplus.

REUTERS