Vietnam’s Trade Surplus Shrinks as Exports Miss Estimates (1)

Vietnam’s trade surplus narrowed for a second straight month while exports and imports both missed estimates in October, hinting at headwinds from tariffs on the manufacturing powerhouse.

Exports increased 17.5% to $42 billion from a year ago, versus economist expectations of 19.5% growth, according to data released by the National Statistics Office in Hanoi Thursday. Imports rose 16.8%, trailing predictions of a 19.3% gain. The $2.6 billion surplus fell from the $2.85 billion reported for September, though it was higher than the $2.3 billion median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey.

While shipments missed estimates, the double-digit growth shows continued ...