China August Trade Slows On Eased Export Growth

     BEIJING (MNI) - China's General Administration of Customs released August

trade data on Friday: 

     Exports increased 5.5% year-on-year in August in U.S. dollar terms, lower

than MNI's survey median forecast for a 6.8% y/y gain and below the growth rate

of 7.2% in July. Export growth was the lowest since March, and it has slowed for

three straight months. 

     Imports rose 13.3% year-on-year in August in U.S. dollar terms, higher than

the MNI survey median forecast for a 10.0% y/y gain and above the 11.0% rise in

July. Imports rose for the 10th month in a row.

     China posted a $41.99 billion trade surplus in August, lower than the MNI

survey median forecast for a $48.50 billion surplus and below July's $46.74

billion surplus. 

     In yuan terms, the trade balance was in surplus by CNY286.5 billion,

compared with the CNY294.30 billion surplus in July.

     The trade balance in the first eight months of the year amounted to $271.46

billion, below the $354.89 billion surplus in the same period last year, with

exports rising 7.6% y/y and imports up 16.9% y/y.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; tel: +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: beijing@mni-news.com

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: vince.morkri@marketnews.com

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 (10) 8532 5998; email: marissa.wang@marketnews.com

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