China's exports and imports shrink in March, miss forecasts by big margins

Open this photo in gallery: Shipping containers are stacked at a port in Lianyungang, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, on April 12.STR/Getty Images China's exports contracted sharply in March while imports unexpectedly shrank, undershooting forecasts by big margins, highlighting the stiff task facing policymakers as they try to bolster a shaky economic recovery. The dour data represented a setback for the world's second-largest economy after a generally better-than-expected start to the year. China has struggled to mount a sustainable post-COVID bounce, burdened by a protracted property crisis, mounting local government debts and weak private-sector spending. Exports from China slumped 7.5…