China saw stronger than expected trade data for April with exports rebounding after a drop in March, the Financial Times reports, showing the resilience of the economy in the face of potential trade dispute escalations with the US.
Exports rose 12.9% year-on-year in the month, compared with a 2.7% drop in March lead by seasonal factors. Imports growth also outpaced estimates, growing 21.5% y/y compared with 14.4% in March.
The figures suggest soundness in China’s economy despite a number of headwinds including a precarious trade relationship with the US, a slowing housing market, and rising borrowing costs, which many market analysts believe will usher in a slowdown in the second half of the year.