AT CLOSE, HANG SENG UP 0.82%, TECH INDEX UP 0.62%

China’s export growth slowed to 2.5% year-on-year in March, the weakest pace in six months, as manufacturers faced higher commodity and energy costs amid Middle East disruptions. Imports surged 27.8%, the strongest growth since November 2021, far exceeding expectations, according to customs data. The trade surplus narrowed sharply. Officials cited “fierce fluctuations” in global oil prices, warning of a “complex and severe” trade environment. Rising input costs lifted factory-gate prices for the first time in over three years, while CPI rose 1% YoY. Despite external pressures and tariff risks, trade remains a key growth driver ahead of Q1 GDP data due Thursday.

EQUINOR'S SCATEC PLACING SAID TO BE MULTIPLE TIMES COVERED