China’s March export and import data to be released on Tuesday

SHANGHAI, Apr 13 (SMM) – China’s General Administration of Customs will release the country’s trade data for March on Tuesday, which are expected to show signs of improvement after declining sharply in the first two months of the year.

The Commerce Ministry said last week that China’s foreign trade and domestic consumption recovered last month thanks to the progress the government made in containing the coronavirus and pushing to restart economic activity.

However, concerns about China’s foreign trade, especially the export sector, linger as the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic outside China escalated in March and world authorities put more stringent measures to contain the spread.  

China’s export sector still faces headwinds from the spread of the coronavirus overseas, the commerce ministry added.

Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expect China’s exports to fall 15.9% in March from a year earlier, compared with the 17.2% decline in the January-February period. Imports likely dropped 10% last month, compared with the 4% fall in the first two months of the year.

Please find below a compilation of import and export data for metals products for January and February.