Export Performance - In October, China's exports decreased by 1.1% year-on-year, a significant drop of 9.4 percentage points from the previous month, and below the Wind consensus expectation of 3.1%[1] - The export decline is attributed to a high base effect and weakening external demand, with the new export orders PMI falling to 45.9, down nearly 2 percentage points from last month[1] - Exports to the EU, Japan, and South Korea showed significant declines, with exports to Japan down 5.7% and to South Korea down 13.0%[2][3] Product Categories - Labor-intensive products saw a sharp decline, with exports of bags, textiles, and footwear down by 25.7%, 16.0%, and 21.0% respectively, collectively dragging down exports by approximately 2.1 percentage points[3][4] - High-tech products, however, supported export growth, with integrated circuits and automobiles growing by 26.9% and 34.0% respectively, contributing 5.1 percentage points to overall export performance[4][5] Import Trends - Imports grew by only 1.0% year-on-year in October, a decrease of 6.4 percentage points from the previous month, indicating a clear structural divergence[5] - Agricultural imports remained resilient, with a 7.0% increase, particularly driven by a 11.4% rise in soybean imports due to increased procurement from Brazil[5][6] - Energy and machinery imports faced declines, with coal and crude oil imports down by 27.5% and 0.3% respectively, reflecting ongoing price pressures[5][6] Market Outlook - Despite the short-term pressures on exports, structural resilience remains, particularly from non-US markets like ASEAN and Africa, which continue to support export growth[6] - The easing of US-China trade tensions may provide a temporary boost to exports, while high base effects and order depletion could pose challenges in the fourth quarter[6][7] Risk Factors - Potential risks include unexpected changes in overseas policies and slower-than-expected global economic recovery, which could further impact export performance[7][8]