China's Dec exports rise 18.1% y-o-y, imports up 6.5%, top forecasts

[BEIJING] China's exports grew more than expected in December as global demand for Chinese goods remained solid, while import growth quickened, customs data showed on Thursday.

Exports rose 18.1 per cent in December from a year earlier. Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected exports to grow 15 per cent after a 21.1 per cent jump in November.

Imports, meanwhile, grew 6.5 per cent last month from a year earlier, against expectations for a 5 per cent rise and a 4.5 per cent gain in November.

China posted a trade surplus of US$78.17 billion in December.

Analysts in the poll had expected the trade surplus to narrow to US$72.35 billion from US$75.40 billion in November.

REUTERS