China's exports unexpectedly rose in April for the first time this year, taking some pressure off manufacturers in the world's second-largest economy after the coronavirus pandemic battered demand and disrupted manufacturing supply chains
April's better-than-expected outcome followed an improvement in March, but the outlook for China's exports remains bleak, as the health crisis around the world is sparking fears of a global recession. Slowing global growth and mounting job losses will likely dampen demand for Chinese goods for months to come.
Overseas shipments in April rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier, marking the first positive growth since December last year, customs data showed Thursday.