China Exports Grew in Dollar Terms for Third Straight Month in May

China's exports grew in U.S. dollar terms for a third straight month in May, as external demand for goods from the world's second-largest economy continued to strengthen.

Exports increased 8.7% in May from a year earlier, following an 8% gain in April, the General Administration of Customs said Thursday.

Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected the value of shipments overseas to grow 7%.

Imports in May expanded 14.8% from a year earlier, compared with an 11.9% expansion in April. The rise was much larger than the poll's forecast for an 8.3% gain.

China's trade surplus widened in May to $40.81 billion from $38.05 billion in the previous month, falling short of a median forecast for a $47.8 billion surplus.

Write to Liyan Qi at liyan.qi@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 08, 2017 00:01 ET (04:01 GMT)