September trade data may be somewhat misleading because of two or three extra working days last month, plus the very big holiday at the beginning of October which might have pushed activity into September.
Exports were down 15.2% year-on-year, better than the expected 20-21%.
Imports were down 3.5%, much better than the expected 15%.
Month-over-month figures showed a [...]
Despite the bullishness in equities Chinese Steel prices have been falling.
http://www.businessinsider.com/way-better-than-the-bdi-watch-chinese-iron-ore-demand-falling-2009-9
This article ties well with the one I posted with respect to US steel tariffs. It seems that that Chinese stimulus has resulted in massive steel production which is being dumped around the world. They have invested in excess capacity and goods for export. This excess steel production is crowding out local producers who are [...]
To summarize the Chinese official data released on Friday Sept. 11:
The Good
Manufacturing output: up by 12.3% year on year, better than last month’s 10.8% and higher than consensus.
Steel output: up 29%
Auto production: up 90%.
Urban fixed-asset investment: up 33.0% for the first eight months of the year, which slightly exceeded already-high estimates of 32.5%.
Retail sales: up [...]