China's exports up 3.5% in April despite coronavirus hitting demand

China’s exports unexpectedly rose in April aided by stronger shipments to South East Asia, though with the coronavirus pandemic damaging global demand that increase is likely to be temporary. Imports fell.
 

Exports rose 3.5% in dollar terms in April from a year earlier, while imports dropped 14.2%, the customs administration said Thursday. Economists had forecast that exports would shrink by 11% while imports would contract by 10%.
 

China’s exports usually start slowly in the first quarter due to the Lunar New Year and then rise from April. While there were some signs in March of a recovery from the domestic