China February Exports Tumble the Most in 3 Years, Spurring Fears of ‘Trade Recession’

China February Exports Tumble the Most in 3 Years, Spurring Fears of ‘Trade Recession’
Containers and trucks are seen following a snowfall at the port of Qingdao, Shandong Province, China on Feb. 14, 2019. Reuters
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BEIJING—China’s exports tumbled the most in three years in February while imports fell for a third straight month, pointing to a further slowdown in the economy and stirring talk of a “trade recession,” despite a spate of support measures.

While seasonal factors may have been at play, the shockingly weak readings from the world’s largest trading nation added to worries about a global slowdown, a day after the European Central Bank slashed growth forecasts for the region.