China Exports Slide as Tepid Demand Adds to Growth Challenge

China’s exports declined in August, signaling weak demand in regions such as Europe and adding to growth pressures facing the world’s second-largest economy.

Overseas shipments fell 5.5 percent from a year earlier in dollar terms, the customs administration said. The reading was slightly above the median forecast of a 6.6 percent decline by economists surveyed by Bloomberg, and compared to an 8.3 percent drop in July. Imports fell 13.8 percent, widening from an 8.1 percent decrease and leaving a trade surplus of $60.2 billion.