Japan’s exports rose 9.8 percent in February from a year earlier as shipments recovered from a Lunar New Year slowdown, Ministry of Finance data showed. The rise in exports compared with a 12.4 percent gain expected by economists in a Reuters poll, and was led by brisk shipments of cars, the data showed. That followed an annual 9.5 percent increase in January. Imports grew 9.0 percent in the year to February, compared with an annual 7.4 percent gain expected, and following a revised 25.1 percent rise in the previous month. The country’s trade balance stood at a deficit of 800.3 billion yen ($7.90 billion) in February, compared with a shortfall of 590.0 billion yen expected and well below January’s record trade gap of 2.79 trillion yen. (Reuters)