Exports shrank 6.4% from a year earlier in October, customs data showed on Tuesday, faster than a 6.2% decline in September and worse than a 3.3% fall expected in a Reuters poll.
The bad exports data may hit market confidence as we had expected the supply chain of exports to recover," said Zhou Hao, economist at Guotai Junan International.
"The significant improvement in imports may come from rising domestic demand, in particular a demand to replenish stocks."
However, in a sign trade is finding some footing, South Korean exports to China fell at their slowest pace in 13 months in October.
China's manufacturing activity unexpectedly contracted in October, data showed last week, complicating policymakers' efforts to revive growth.
Persons:
Zhou Hao, Joe Cash, Ellen Zhang, Sam Holmes
Organizations:
REUTERS, Rights, Imports, Guotai, Analysts, Thomson
Locations:
Qingdao, Shandong province, China, Rights BEIJING, North American, Korean