[ferro-alloys.com] Japan posted its ninth-straight monthly trade deficit in March, though the gap was narrower than expected and smaller than February's result. Exports swung to a 1.1% gain from the year-earlier period after shrinking by 2.9% the previous month, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday. The result was roughly in line with an expected 1% rise according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey of economists. Imports rose 5.5%, less than February's 11.9% surge, but still growing strong due to a weaker yen and a higher fuel-import bill as the nation's closure of nuclear plants has raised the need for foreign energy. The resulting trade deficit was 362.4 billion yen ($3.70 billion), easing from February's ¥779.5 billion and below a forecast for a ¥430 billion deficit tipped in the Dow Jones Newswires poll. Shipments to China fell 2.5%, easing from a more than 15% plunge the previous month, which was partly blamed on the Lunar New Year holiday. Exports to the European Union fell 4.7%, but those to the U.S. rose 7%. The yen strengthened slightly after the data, with the dollar easing to ¥98.02 from ¥98.09 ahead of the numbers.

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