China: Exports Climb to Record Peak.

China’s exports surged 14.1% year-on-year to a record high of USD 359.44 billion in April 2026, much faster than forecasts of 7.9% and accelerating sharply from March’s 2.5% rise, which was the weakest growth since October 2025. The acceleration in growth came as companies rushed to stockpile components from the manufacturing powerhouse amid fears that the Iran war could push input costs even higher. Shipments to the US soared 11.3% year-on-year to USD 36.8 billion, returning to growth after a 26.5% plunge in March despite tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. For the first four months of the year, total exports still grew 14.5% year-on-year to USD 1.34 trillion.