Exports forecast at 18.4 yy in July vs 5.1 in June
Exports growth momentum might have peaked economists
Chip sales, US shipments strong; auto sales, China shipments improving

SEOUL, July 30 Reuters South Korea39;s exports are expected to have risen in July at the fastest pace in 26 months, as computer chip sales continued to lead growth with robust demand in the United States and a recovery in China, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.

Exports in July from Asia39;s fourthlargest economy are forecast to have risen 18.4 from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of 25 economists in the survey conducted July 2329.

That would be faster than an annual rise of 5.1 in the previous month and the fastest since May 2022.

South Korea is the first major exporting economy to report monthly trade figures each month, providing an early glimpse into the state of global demand.

Its exports have been growing since October, mostly led by semiconductors and U.S. shipments amid rising demand related to artificial intelligence.

That trend likely continued in July, with sales of cars and shipments to China also improving, economists said, attributing the higher growth rate also to favourable calendar effects.

While exports of IT products, such as semiconductors and computers, continue to grow, there will also be positive signs seen in sales of automobiles and automobile parts, said Stephen Lee, chief economist at Meritz Securities.

In the first 20 days of this month,…