Malaysia export fall bottoms out on China boost (ext: Edge)

Exports from Malaysia, Asia's third most trade-dependent economy relative to its size, fell 15.6% in March from a year ago, less than in February and much less than expected as exports to China surged.

"(Exports) are quite in line with the data from the region, we're seeing deceleration with the speed of decline which could imply that there is a bottoming in the economy but year on year basis we're still seeing a contraction," said Irvine Seah, economist at DBS Bank in Singapore.