Wednesday 10 December 2008


CHINA’S EXPORTS DECLINE FOR FIRST TIME IN 7 YEARS

Kevin Hamlin and Li Yanping

Bloomberg, December 10, 2008

China’s exports fell for the first time in seven years, more evidence that recessions in the U.S., Europe and Japan are driving the world’s fourth-largest economy into a slump.

Exports declined 2.2 percent in November from a year earlier, the customs bureau said in a statement on its Web site today. Imports plunged 17.9 percent, pushing the trade surplus to a record $40.09 billion.

The trade collapse intensifies pressure on China’s leaders to cut interest rates, extend a 4 trillion yuan ($581 billion) spending plan and let the yuan depreciate. China’s exports quadrupled after the country joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, helping to make it the fastest-expanding major economy and the biggest contributor to global growth.

“The figures are horrifying,” said Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at Industrial Bank Co. in Shanghai. “Plunging imports show that on top of faltering global demand, domestic demand is also shrinking as the economy cools.”

The yuan closed at 6.8633 against the dollar at 5:30 p.m. in Shanghai, from 6.8601 before the data was released.

Imports fell by the most since at least 1995, when Bloomberg data began, as commodity prices declined and weakness in manufacturing and construction cut demand for raw materials. The previous decline was seven years ago.

Economists exclude figures from January and February each year because of distortions caused by Lunar New Year holidays.

(...) [artículo aquí]

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