This handbook issued by the IMF is primarily intended for users of the IMF's direction of trade database. The guide describes the collection, compilation, and dessemination of statistics on exports and imports by partner country. National compilers of statistics on trade by country may also derive some benefit from the Guide.
The Direction of Trade Statistics yearbook, usually published in September, contains data on the value of merchandise exports and imports between each country and all its trading partners. The Yearbook provides seven years of data for 183 countries and two sets of world and area summaries: world and area trade as seen by the reporting countries, and as seen by the partner countries to those transactions.
This handbook issued by the IMF is primarily intended for users of the IMF's direction of trade database. The Guide describes the collection, compilation, and dissemination of statistics on exports and imports by partner countries. National compilers of statistics on trade by country may also derive some benefit from the Guide.
Trade flows and trade policies need to be properly quantified to describe, compare, or follow the evolution of policies between sectors or countries or over time. This is essential to ensure that policy choices are made with an appropriate knowledge of the real conditions. This practical guide introduces the main techniques of trade and trade policy data analysis. It shows how to develop the main indexes used to analyze trade flows, tariff structures, and non-tariff measures. It presents the databases needed to construct these indexes as well as the challenges faced in collecting and processing these data, such as measurement errors or aggregation bias. Written by experts with practical experience in the field, A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis has been developed to contribute to enhance developing countries' capacity to analyze and implement trade policy. It offers a hands-on introduction on how to estimate the distributional effects of trade policies on welfare, in particular on inequality and poverty. The guide is aimed at government experts engaged in trade negotiations, as well as students and researchers involved in trade-related study or research. An accompanying DVD contains data sets and program command files required for the exercises. Copublished by the WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The Direction of Trade Statistics yearbook gives seven years of data for about 184 countries and two sets of world and area summaries: world and area trade as seen by the reporting countries and as seen by the partner countries to those transactions. The yearbook is usually published in September.
The Direction of Trade Statistics yearbook gives seven years of data for about 184 countries and two sets of world and area summaries: world and area trade as seen by the reporting countries and as seen by the partner countries to those transactions. The yearbook is usually published in September.
The objective of this handbook is to be used as a reference in preparation of analysis of already available merchandise trade statistical information for assessment of various issues, discussion on negotiating positions and ultimately for conducting consultations. Indicators are grouped in the following categories: trade and economy, trade performance, direction of trade, sectoral structure of trade and protection.
This paper discusses the coverage of Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) is augmented by using trade statistics available from other international organizations. Monthly data for all European Union member countries are sourced from the COMEXT database maintained by EUROSTAT. Annual data reported to the United Nations COMTRADE database are incorporated in DOTS for countries that do not report to the IMF. Furthermore, the availability of partner data makes it possible to calculate estimates of countries for which data are not obtainable from other sources. Estimation occurs if a reporting country does not report trade with its partners for a specific period. Data are estimated for all partners. In the absence of some or all of the monthly DOTS, quarterly or annual reported DOTS are used. Because imports are valued on a cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) basis and exports on a free on board (FOB) basis, the data are adjusted for the cost of freight and insurance.
The Direction of Trade Statistics Online service provides data on the value of merchandise exports and imports between each country and all its trading partners. The database includes: total bilateral and multilateral exports and imports aggregated at national or regional group level; data from 1948 at monthly, quarterly, and annual frequencies.
