Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

South Korea November exports plunge as China-U.S. deal still in dark

Published 11/30/2019, 08:25 PM
Updated 11/30/2019, 08:31 PM
South Korea November exports plunge as China-U.S. deal still in dark

South Korea November exports plunge as China-U.S. deal still in dark

By Choonsik Yoo and Joori Roh

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean exports in November fell for the 12th month in a row and far more than expected, denting hopes for the global manufacturing sector stabilizing as a much-awaited China-U.S. trade deal is still in darkness.

Exports declined 14.3% in November from a year earlier, trade ministry data showed on Sunday, far below a median 10.2% fall tipped in a Reuters poll and missing even the worst forecast in the survey of an 11.1% loss.

It was also the second-worst drop in overseas sales in nearly four years as global semiconductor prices failed to turn around while China, the country's biggest export market, continued to cut down purchases from its smaller neighbor.

The surprisingly weak November data from a manufacturing powerhouse, which reports monthly trade data ahead of major exporting nations each month, underscores the global economy still far from a turning point.

"The optimism for the first-phase trade deal between the United States and China will take time before actually boosting exports, and today's poor data means the turnaround in exports is taking longer than expected," said Chun Kyu-yeon, economist at Hana Financial Investment.

Shipments to China fell 12.2% in November from a year earlier, while overseas sales of semiconductors, South Korea's top export item, tumbled by 30.8% in value as prices plunged this year from a super-rally last year.

Imports fell 13.0% on-year in November, also missing an 11.9% contraction tipped in the survey. That brought the November trade balance to a $3.37 billion surplus, versus a $5.34 billion surplus a month earlier.

Sunday's data left shipments for the first 11 months of this year 10.7% below a year earlier, putting the country on track for its worst annual exports performance since a 13.9% fall in 2009 during the height of a global financial crisis.

South Korea's economy, the fourth-largest in Asia and heavily dependent on exports, has been hit especially hard by cooling global trade and a prolonged tariff war between China and the United States.

On Friday, the central bank trimmed its 2019 economic growth forecast for the fourth time this year to the lowest in a decade, and also lowered next year's forecast.

The downgrades came even after the Bank of Korea cut rates twice this year, the most recent cut coming in October. Many analysts expect the central bank to ease policy further next year to support the stuttering economy.

Latest comments

Perhaps Korea should reconsider the depth of their integration and dependence on an autocratic dictatorship who has zero respect or mutual consideration for them. That might be a good place to start if they're unhappy with getting beat up when China misbehaves.
yup. clearly anyone doesn't aid in US against china surely will end up like Iraq, Syria, Yemen and such. CCP is too evil, US is willing to invade anyone to stop it.
 were you trying to make a point?
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.