April exports fall for fifth straight month to $22 bn

Trade deficit narrowed to $11 bn in April helped by a 42% year-on-year fall in oil imports

The country's merchandise exports contracted 13.96 percent in April, for the fifth straight month, dragged down by a slump in global demand, government data showed on Friday.

Trade deficit narrowed to $10.99 billion in April helped by a 42 percent year-on-year fall in oil imports, data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed.

Imports fell 7.48 percent from a year earlier to $33.05 billion last month, while exports stood at $22.05 billion, the data showed.