British and Chinese industries growing more than expected, Dow Jones hits 15,000 for the first time,

[Sobotnik]

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/66916000/jpg/_66916822_154550236.jpg[/img]

[quote]China's trade growth accelerated in April, beating analyst expectations, a positive sign for the country's fragile economic recovery.

Exports surged by 14.7% compared with a year earlier. That is up from 10% in March. Imports also rose by 16.8% up from 14.1%.

The data meant a trade surplus for China, reversing a surprise deficit in March.

However, some analysts raised questions about the accuracy of the data.

"I have no strong conviction whether the data reflect reality," said Zhiwei Zhang, chief China economist at Nomura in Hong Kong.

China had a bigger-than-expected trade surplus in April of $18.2bn, after a surprise deficit of $884m in March.[/quote]

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22445227[/url]

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67447000/jpg/_67447165_yenshares.jpg[/img]

[quote]The Dow Jones index closed above 15,000 for the first time as strong German factory data pushed US and European share markets higher.

The Dow rose 87 points to 15,056. It has been rising rapidly over the past six months, and was boosted by better-than-expected jobs figures last week.

Other world markets also gained, with Germany's Dax hitting a fresh record, rising 70 points to 8,182.

Hopes of further central bank action to boost growth also lifted sentiment.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low 2.75%.

This followed comments on Monday from Mario Draghi, head of the European Central Bank, that the ECB stands "ready to act again" if necessary, after cutting interest rates last week.

London's FTSE 100 was up 0.6% and France's Cac 40 rose 0.4%.

Earlier, Japan's Nikkei 225 index went above 14,000 for the first time since mid-2008 as government efforts to weaken the yen boosted exporters.[/quote]

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22430955[/url]

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67494000/jpg/_67494883_bikefactoryworker.jpg[/img]

[quote]UK industrial production was stronger than forecast in March, official figures show, boosted by manufacturing and a recovery in oil and gas output.

The Office for National Statistics said industrial output rose 0.7% in March from February, above the 0.2% expected by economic forecasts.

Manufacturing output, a sub-sector of industrial production, rose 1.1%, boosted by electronics, metals and machinery.

But annual output was still 1.4% lower.

The extended period of cold weather help the electricity, gas steam and air conditioning sectors achieve 2.4% growth in March.[/quote]

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22462518[/url]

Although I am hesitant to say if this will continue, I have hopes that we might be seeing more economic recovery and growth in the future.