The volume of goods processed by Chinese ports slowed last week for the first time since the Lunar New Year holiday — a trend that will undercut the value of exports going forward if it continues. China’s ports handled 244 million tonnes of cargo last week, 10 per cent less than a week earlier and down 4 per cent from the same week in 2024, according to Ministry of Transport data released Monday. The amount of cargo going through the nation’s ports peaked in the last week of March, which may represent a high point for Chinese trade if the dispute with the US escalates.