Air freight carriers are reducing capacity on services from south China and Hong Kong to try and improve the load factors on freight aircraft. Freight forwarders are hoping that this wil help to halt downward pressure on prices, although prices are unlikely to rise during the summer, which is traditionally the slow season for air freight. The Chinese government is helping exporters with export credit insurance and guarantees, but the main reason for the reduction in exports from China is really the slow-down in demand from Europe and the United States. Some commentators think that the bottom of the slump has been reached, but global air freight demand was still weak in May of this year.