Asia’s Export Engines Tow a Weary World Economy Along

The HMM Algeciras, operated by Hyundai Merchant Marine, moored at the Port of Hamburg in German

Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg

A trifecta of regional economic numbers helps explain the upbeat mood in global financial markets even as the pandemic worsens.

South Korea on Tuesday said its exports returned to growth last month, led by gains in major markets such as the U.S. and the European Union. Another key barometer of its trade — daily average exports — rose by the most since 2018.