Fresh data on China’s foreign trade was released on Thursday. China’s imports unexpectedly rose in August for the first time in nearly two years. This was boosted by coal and other commodities, suggesting domestic demand may be picking up.  

The General Administration of Customs says China’s foreign trade stood at 2.2 trillion yuan in August, up 7.9 percent from a year ago. That came as exports rose 5.9 percent while imports increased 10.8 percent.

China’s trade surplus narrowed 5.1 percent in August. China's foreign trade amounted to 15.4 trillion yuan in the first eight months of this year. That was down 1.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Exports dropped 1 percent during the eight months, while imports were down 2.9 percent.