South Korea trade data were released on Wednesday:

Exports in December +6.6% y/y

  • expected +4%, previous +1.4%

When exports are adjusted for the working-day differences they increased 4.3% y/y in December

  • vs. +3.7% in November

Some of the reports I am seeing cite the improvement on "demand from China increased while semiconductor sales stayed resilient".

Exports to China +8.6%

  • to the US +5.5%
  • to the European Union +15.1%

More good news for China? Maybe. I got a bit interested in the Chinese PMIs earlier this week re China:

There is another PMI due from China today:

Back to South Korea's trade data:

Imports +3.3% y/y

  • expected +4.6%, previous -2.4%

Trade Balance 6.49bn

  • expected 4.21bn, previous 5.586bn
Data from SK on the trade balance for the early part of the month