CHINA'S leading trade fair, known as Canton Fair, ended yesterday with export orders down almost 17 percent, a sign of troubles ahead for exporters amid the financial crisis, organizers said.

The export deals for more than 20,000 Chinese companies reached US$26 billion at the 105th China Import and Export from April 15 to yesterday, down 16.9 percent from the previous fair in October, said the fair's organizers.