CHINA remains Australia's biggest export market, notwithstanding sliding prices and lower demand. New trade figures show China took 27.1 per cent of Australia's merchandise exports in the three months to September, compared with 27.7 per cent in the same period a year ago. Japan's export share is 20.9 per cent, up from 19.5 per cent last year. Export income fell for the fourth consecutive month, slipping 0.6 per cent in September to be down 10.4 per cent over the year. Minerals exports were down 22.1 per cent over the year, and coal exports down 22.3 per cent. Commonwealth Bank senior economist John Peters said the ... (full story)