MNI: China December Imports Growth Ease To Lowest in 2017

-- Imports At Slowest Pace Of Gain In A Year

-- Exports Growth 3rd-Fastest in 2017

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

trade data on Friday: 

     Exports rose 10.9% year-on-year in December in U.S. dollar terms, higher

than MNI's survey median forecast for a 10.0% y/y gain and below the growth rate

of 12.3% in November. Exports growth was the third highest in 2017.

     Imports in dollar figures rose 4.5% in December from a year ago, much lower

than median forecast for a 15.0% gain and well below the 17.7% rise in November.

December's imports grew at the slowest pace since December 2016. 

     China posted a $54.69 billion trade surplus in December, higher than the

MNI survey median forecast for a $37.90 billion surplus and above November's

$40.21 billion surplus. 

     In yuan terms, the trade surplus was CNY361.98 billion, compared with the

CNY263.60 billion in November.

     For the full-year 2017, trade surplus fell to $422.51 billion from $509.71

billion in 2016. Exports rose 7.9% on year while imports gained 15.9%.

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

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

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 10 8532 5998; email: william.bi@mni-news.com

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