Sign of economy's resilience

Chinese shares shrugged off weaker-than-expected trade figures to surge on Tuesday, brightening the prospects for the Year of Monkey, a Chinese zodiac animal usually associated with change rather than certainty.

Prior to this, the country's stock markets had not emulated the wild swings in the global markets, when they reopened on Monday after the weeklong Spring Festival holiday.

Admittedly, this bright start does not mean that the Chinese stock market is immune from the global uncertainties shaking the confidence of investors elsewhere. China's shrinking imports and exports in January no doubt spell trouble for many domestically listed companies and may impose pressure on their share prices.