China's June export growth rebounds to 2.8 percent, imports down 6.1 percent

China's June export growth rebounded to 2.8 percent in a sign of better global demand while imports fell 6.1 percent.

Customs data Monday showed exports growing again after May's 2.5 percent contraction. Imports were an improvement over the previous month's unexpectedly severe 17.6 percent contraction.

An improvement in exports is a positive sign for communist leaders who worry about job losses in trade-dependent manufacturing industries that employ millions of workers.

However, Monday's data showed exports so far this year have grown only 1 percent over a year earlier while total trade is down 6.9 percent.