{"id":108254,"date":"2021-03-01T02:23:03","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T02:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=108254"},"modified":"2021-03-01T02:23:03","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T02:23:03","slug":"south-korea-february-exports-extend-growth-on-strong-chip-auto-demand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/markets\/south-korea-february-exports-extend-growth-on-strong-chip-auto-demand\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea February exports extend growth on strong chip, auto demand"},"content":{"rendered":"
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea\u2019s exports expanded for a fourth straight month in February on continued growth in memory chip and car sales, underpinning the trade-led recovery in Asia\u2019s fourth-largest economy.<\/p> Exports jumped 9.5% from a year earlier to $44.81 billion in February, government data showed on Monday, slower than 11.4% growth in January but matching the 9.5% increase forecast by 12 economists in a Reuters survey.<\/p>\n Average daily exports, however, surged 26.4% year-on-year, the sharpest in over three years, when eliminating the impact from a three-day drop in working days due to the nation\u2019s Lunar New Year holidays.<\/p>\n South Korea\u2019s monthly trade data, the first to be released among major exporting economies, is considered a bellwether for global trade.<\/p>\n Shipments of semiconductors, the country\u2019s top export, jumped 13.2% year-on-year and for an eighth consecutive month, while those of cars, petrochemicals and bio-health products surged 47%, 22.4% and 62.5%, respectively.<\/p>\n Of the nation\u2019s 15 major export items, shipments of 11 items increased last month.<\/p>\n By destination, those to China, the United States and the European Union soared 26.5%, 7.9% and 48.2% each.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, data also showed imports grew 13.9% to $42.11 billion, beating forecasts for a 12.3% jump.<\/p>\n The trade surplus shrank to $2.71 billion from $3.76 billion a month ago.<\/p>\n South Korea\u2019s financial markets are closed on Monday due to a public holiday and will resume trade on Tuesday.<\/p>\n