China's exports and imports rose less than estimated in April as weakness in Europe and a domestic slowdown weighed on trade, adding pressure on the government to ease policies to spur expansion.

Overseas shipments rose 4.9 percent from a year earlier, the customs bureau said on Thursday. That compares with the 8.5 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 33 analysts. Import growth of 0.3 percent trailed forecasts for a 10.9 percent gain. The trade surplus was $18.4 billion, almost double estimates of $9.9 billion.

China Daily - Agencies