介绍:
China's exports down 6.6 pct in March
New data shows exports from China have slumped 6.6-percent in March.
The General Administration of Customs is reporting imports are also down 11.3-percent.
Total foreign trade volume has declined 9-percent.
As such, the trade surplus has increased by 7.7-billion US dollars this past month, following a deficit of 23 billion US dollars through February.
For more on the new figures, we're joined live now by Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business.
BAIC Motor eyes Hong Kong IPO later this year
BAIC Motors has announced plans to list in Hong Kong in the second half of this year.
BAIC is hoping to raise 10 to 20 billion-yuan through the listing.
The company originally had plans for a dual-listing on both the Hong Kong and mainland capital markets.
However, the company's CEO says they're still not sure about when the mainland listing may happen.
The plans for a listing comes just over a year after Daimler agreed to buy a 12-percent stake in BAIC Motor.
As part of the announcment, BAIC has also increased its stake in the Mercedes-Benz joint venture with Daimler from 50 to 51-percent.
This allows BAIC to consolidate the joint venture prior to the IPO.
Australian jobless rate unexpectedly falls
Australia's unemployment rate has dropped unexpectedly through March.
The jobless rate in Australia has fallen to 5.8-percent in March from an upwardly revised 6.1% in February.
Most economists had been predicting unemployment to remain flat through March.
The number of people finding new jobs has increased by 18-thousand.
Analysts had expected the number of people without work to increase by 10-thousand.
