MANILA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Philippine exports contracted
for the fifth straight month in July but at the slowest pace
during the five-month period, while imports also fell, yielding
a trade deficit of $1.83 billion, the country's statistics
agency said on Thursday.
The July trade gap was the biggest in four months, or since
March, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
Exports in July PHEXP=ECI shrank 9.6% from a year earlier
to $5.65 billion. Imports PHIMP=ECI fell 24.4% to $7.5
billion, marking the 15th month of negative growth for inbound
shipments.