Japan¡¯s trade balance unexpectedly stayed in the black for a third consecutive month in April, on strong exports and a sharp drop in energy imports.
The trade balance for the month was a ?301.9 billion ($1.9 billion) surplus on an unadjusted basis, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday. Analysts had forecast a ?44.5 billion deficit.
The value of exports rose 14.8% in April from a year earlier, while the value of imports gained 9.7%.
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