The volume of signed deals at the bellwether Canton Fair, for example, was down 9.3% from a year earlier, signaling troubles ahead for export sales.

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The Autumn Canton Trade Fair, going on until Nov. 4, may provide some clues on exports going forward.

FORBES: China Hard Landing Fears Easing

Looking ahead, the Autumn Canton trade fair from October 15 to November 4 will be important to watch for in terms of assessing whether such improvements can be sustained into the fourth quarter, Barclays analysts led by Jian Chang in Hong Kong told clients in a note over the weekend.

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