There was a substantial improvement in export demand from China in July 2009, according to the Chinese Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. The Federation produces a Purchasing Managers’ Index, which is showing a gradual increase. This is good news for shipping lines involved in the China trade; their share values increased by about 10% on the back of the news. The World Trade Organisation agrees that Asian countries are leading the recovery, and that China is set to exceed Germany as the world’s biggest exporter.