Chinese exports fell steeply in April for the sixth month in succession, suggesting the worst might not be over for the world's third largest economy.
The total value of Chinese exports fell 22.6 per cent to $91.9bn last month compared with the same month a year earlier – a faster rate of decline than the 17.1 per cent year-on-year drop in March.
Imports fell 23 per cent from a year earlier to $78.8bn in what some analysts said was a sign that domestic investors remained unwilling to invest in new capacity. Exports rose 6.9 per cent between March and April. However, the month-on-month figures are not seasonally adjusted and are regarded by analysts as misleading.