China's Trade Surplus Widens in April

10 May 2012

China’s trade surplus widened in April as imports barely budged, sharpening fears that the world’s second-biggest economy is not doing enough to stimulate domestic demand and counter a slowdown. Imports edged up 0.3 percent to US $144.8 billion in April while exports rose 4.9 percent to $163.3 billion, leaving a surplus of $18.4 billion, according to customs data released on Thursday. That compared with a surplus of $5.35 billion in March and a deficit of $31.5 billion in February, when factories restocked after the lunar new year holiday.—AP