Shanghai Port container throughput falls 1.8 pct y/y in July

Shanghai Port, the world's busiest container port, saw its container volume in July fall 1.8 percent from a year earlier, a rare contraction in activity, data issued by the port's operator showed on Tuesday.
    Container throughput reached 2.84 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), down from 2.77 million in June. The decline in throughput in July could bode ill for China's trade in July.
    Trade data for July is due on Friday. According to economists polled by Reuters, export growth is expected to have slowed to 8.6 percent in July, down from 11.3 percent in June.
     Shanghai Port's container volumes over the past year, including percent changes from a year earlier:    
     Month          Container        Change
                 Volume('000 TEU)     (pct)
   Jul-2012           2,843            -1.8
   Jun-2012           2,771            +5.7
   May-2012           2,839            +2.8
   Apr-2012           2,719            +2.5
   Mar-2012           2,729            +3.4
   Feb-2012           2,187           +13.1
   Jan-2012           2,619            -3.3
   Dec-2011           2,658            +7.4
   Nov-2011           2,625            -0.5
   Oct-2011           2,684           +14.3
   Sep-2011           2,755            +8.5
   Aug-2011           2,806            +6.3
   Jul-2011           2,896           +12.7