China’s trade surplus surged to a record in May as exports fell less than expected, helped by an increase in medical-related sales, and imports slumped along with commodity prices. Exports decreased 3.3 per cent in dollar terms from a year earlier, beating economists’ estimates, while imports plunged 16.7 per cent. That resulted in a trade surplus of US$62.93 billion. {image} The record surplus comes as the price of commodities China buys such as crude oil, natural gas and soy beans declined. Exports, meantime, have come off their lows, helped in part by sales of masks and other medical supplies as countries around ... (full story)