China September exports fall more than expected, imports back in contraction

China's September exports fell 10 per cent from a year earlier, far more than markets had expected, while imports unexpectedly shrank 1.9 per cent after an encouraging bump up in August, official data showed on Thursday.

That left the country with a trade surplus of $41.99 billion for the month, the General Administration of Customs said.

China's exports in the first nine months of the year fell 7.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier, while imports dropped 8.2 per cent.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected imports to rise one per cent, after unexpectedly expanding 1.5 per cent in August for the first time in nearly two years on stronger demand for coal, iron ore and other resources which are feeding a construction boom.

Exports had been expected to fall three per cent, slightly worse than in August as global demand for Asian goods remains stubbornly weak.

Analysts had expected the trade surplus to expand to $53 billion in September from August's $52.05 billion.