BEIJING — China’s exports unexpectedly fell in October, dragged by weakening global demand, official data showed Monday.
Outbound shipments declined 0.3% in October from a year earlier, compared with 5.7% growth recorded in September, according to China’s General Administration of Customs. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected 4.0% growth in exports.
Imports dropped 0.7% in October from a year earlier, compared with 0.3% growth in September and surveyed economists’ expectations for imports to remain flat.
China’s October trade surplus was $85.15 billion, widening from $84.7 billion in September, but lower than the $95.8 billion expected in the WSJ poll.