China’s Exports Growth Hits 2 Year-Low as COVID Curbs Hit Factories

China’s Exports Growth Hits 2 Year-Low as COVID Curbs Hit Factories
Containers are seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai on August 6, 2019. Aly Song/Reuters
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BEIJING—China’s export growth slowed to single digits, the weakest in almost two years, while imports barely changed in April as tighter and wider COVID-19 curbs halted factory production and crimped domestic demand, adding to wider economic woes.

Exports in dollar terms grew 3.9 percent in April from a year earlier, dropping sharply from the 14.7 percent growth reported in March although slightly better than analysts’ forecast of 3.2 percent. It was the slowest pace since June 2020.