Philippines posts fastest rise in exports in 5 months in January

MANILA, March 11 (Reuters) – Philippine exports rose at the fastest pace in five months in January on an annual basis, resulting in the narrowest trade deficit since October, government data showed on Friday.

Exports grew 8.9% to $6.04 billion PHEXP=ECI, while imports rose 27.5% to $10.74 billion PHIMP=ECI, resulting in a trade gap of $4.7 billion PHTBAL=ECI, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales and Enrico Dela Cruz
Editing by Ed Davies)

((enrico.delacruz@tr.com))