The WSJ reports,"China's exports rose 7.2% in June from a year earlier, data from the General Administration of Customs showed Thursday.
The rise in outbound shipments pointed to recovering external demand, but the pace of growth fell short of analysts' expectations.
June's export growth was slightly faster than May's 7% increase, but below the median forecast of 10% growth from a Wall Street Journal poll of 21 economists.
Imports rose 5.5% from a year earlier, versus a 1.6% fall in May, exceeding the economists' median forecast of a 5.4% rise.
As a result China's trade surplus narrowed in June to $31.6 billion from $35.92 billion in May, short of the median forecast of a $36.9 billion surplus".
