China posted a trade surplus of $24.97 billion for August, up from $18.8 billion a year earlier, the customs administration said today.
It said exports grew 22.7 per cent from a year earlier, with imports up 20.1 per cent.
Economists had expected a surplus of $26.0 billion and had projected annual export growth of 25 per cent, with imports up 21.8 per cent.
The surplus was up from $24.4 billion in July but below June's record high of $26.9 billion. The rolling 12-month surplus increased to $245.2 billion from $239 billion in July and $229.15 billion in June. For the first eight months the surplus came to $161.76 billion.
Soaring food prices propelled China's annual consumer price inflation to 6.5 per cent in August, the fastest pace in nearly 11 years, cementing expectations the central bank will defy the global trend and keep raising interest rates.
The inflation rate published today, up from 5.6 per cent in July, easily surpassed economists' forecasts of 5.9 per cent and was the highest reading since December 1996.