International Trade Statistics
This guide lists some of the major sources for international trade statistics held by Bobst. For additional titles and sources check BobCat, or ask a reference librarian on the 6th floor Business, Social Science and Documents Center in Bobst Library.
Librarian for International Business
Mary Jean Pavelsek
Librarian for International Business
New York University Bobst Library
Business and Documents Center, 6th floor
70 Washington Square So.
New York, NY 10012
E-mail:
Section 1: General
- UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade) Every year over 130 countries provide the United Nations Statistics Division with their annual international trade statistics, detailed by commodity and partner country. These data are processed into a standard format with consistent coding and valuation. All values are converted into US dollars using exchange rates supplied by the countries, or derived from monthly market rates and volume of trade.
- ITCS International Trade by Commodity Database The ITCS - International Trade by Commodities Statistics database set is a unique and reliable source of yearly statistical data on imports and exports in OECD countries, selected non OECD countries, as well as in the OECD main country groupings. It provides detailed data in value (thousands USD) and quantity by commodities and by partner countries.
- International Financial Statistics Online (from the IMF) International Financial Statistics. Washington, D.C.: International Monetary Fund. (monthly and annual). Bobst Ref6 Desk current and Int'l Docs,. HG3881.I626, 1948-, and IIS fiche 3830-S2, 1983-.
- Statistical Universe
An excellent resource for statistics from international organizations such as the IMF, OECD, UN, World Bank, and more. - STAT-USA
A databank of over 90,000 documents, tables and periodicals released on a monthly basis by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Sources include international and economic trade statistics from over 15 federal agencies. - Direction of Trade Statistics IMF and IBRD (Quarterly and Annual)
Bobst Ref6 Desk current (yearbook) and Int'l. Docs. HF1016.I652b
Int'l. Docs HF1016.I562a, 1981-, and IIS fiche 3840-P4.
Quarterly and annual values for imports and exports between countries. In US dollars, arranged by country. Supplies same information by World and area/region, or groups of countries. Does not supply commodity information. - Direction of Trade Statistics Online
- EIU CountryData
Use this for the leading 4 imports/exports and trading partners, trading volume and prices for 117 countries. - Source OECD
Includes access to the publications and statistics of the OECD, many of which are trade related. - Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade-OECD (series A)
Bobst Ref6 Intl. Docs. HF91.O672a, 1983-, also IIS fiche 2300- P6
Provides aggregate trade indicators (value of trade for OECD as a whole, for each member country and selected groups of countries). Also provides volume and average value indices for imports and exports by country, industrial group, and major commodity group (very general, using only 1 SITC digit, combining up to 4 sections), and finally foreign trade by OECD countries with other countries. See Also Source OECD. - Foreign Trade by Commodities-OECD (series C)
Bobst Ref6 Intl. Docs. HF91.O672c, 1981-, and IIS fiche 2300-S39
Values of imports and exports by commodity and country and by groups of countries such as NAFTA, EU-15, and OECD-Total, and OECD-Asia Pacific. Breakdowns are by broad 1 and 2 digit SITC classifications.See Also Source OECD. - International Trade Statistics Yearbook-United Nations
Bobst Ref6 Desk Current, and Int'l. Docs aisles 19-20 2 volume set (arranged by commodity and country) providing detailed import and export statistics. - Commodity Trade Statistics. United Nations
Bobst Ref6 Int'l. Docs ST/ESA/STAT/SER D. 1952-1972 Aisle 10; 1973-1994 Aisle 9; 1995-, IIS fiche 3080-S1
Four digit SITC code coverage most UN member countries. Import and export data between UN member countries is converted to a common format for easy comparability. Values are in U.S. dollars, converted using weighted exchange rates. When available, quantities are given in metric units. As with most UN materials, these are rather late in coming out. - Handbook of International Trade and Development Statistics. UNCTAD.
Bobst Ref6 Int'l. Docs Aisle 16, sales section II.D. 1986-
Data largely drawn from other sources, but nicely presented, providing time series whenever possible. Import/export statistics, BOP, FDI, debt and it's ratio to GNP, debt service and it's ratio to exports, and more. Late in coming out--at least 3 years behind. - Balance of Payments Statistics. International Monetary Fund.
Bobst Ref6 Desk current, and Int'l. Docs. HF1041.I5, 1967-
Part 1 provides 8-year detailed balance-of-payments figures by country, including statistics for goods, services and income, capital account, reserves, unrequited transfers, direct investment abroad, and direct investment in each country. Part 2 contains world totals for balance of payments components and aggregates. - Balance of Payments Statistics Online
- World Trade Organization Annual Report-WTO, 2 volumes (Formerly International Trade: Trends and Statistics-GATT)
Bobst Ref6I HF1371.A56 current, and Bstack 1994-
Vol. 2 is all statistical tables providing an overview of world trade for the year, such as leading importers and exporters, growth of trade by region, etc. Tables are broken down by regions, i.e North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Cental and Eastern Europe, with further breakdowns in each group by import/export of product group, etc. Vol. 1 covers a special topic each year such as "Trade and Foreign Direct Investment". Also see http://www.wto.org/english/info_e/site_e.htm for excerpts from this publication and from the Trade Policy Review. - International Trade Statistics 2004 The World Trade Organization (WTO).
This report provides comprehensive, comparable and up-to-date statistics on trade in merchandise and commercial services for an assessment of world trade flows by country, region and main product groups or service categories. - Web Resources for International Trade The Federation of International Trade Associations (FITA).
The most comprehensive searchable database of International Trade Web Resources on the Internet! More than 7000 links to International Trade / Import-Export Web sites are annotated and indexed. - Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Dept. of Commerce
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Go to this site for BOP, imports and exports, investment position, US direct investment abroad, and FDI in the U.S. - US Foreign Trade Highlights. US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
Bobst Ref6 US Docs. C61.28, 1984-, also ASI fiche 2044-37.
Provides data on US international trade; aggregate exports and imports, US commodity and country trade balances, and trade with major partners and regions. Data is usually given for about 6 years. Also, see the foreign trade section of the Office of Trade and Economic Analysis' website at http://www.ita.doc.gov/.
Section 2: International Direct Investment
- OECD Reviews of Foreign Direct Investment. Irregular.
Bobst Ref6 Int'l. Docs. HG4538.O43, 1995-.
Reviews by country of the FDI situation, regulations on policies towards FDI, sectoral measures or restrictions, other related topics, and brief statistical tables.See Also Source OECD. - International Direct Investment Statistics Yearbook-OECD
Bobst Ref6 Int'l. Docs. HG4583.I48, 1993-.
Annual publication giving detailed statistics on international direct investment to and from OECD member countries. It includes direct investment from abroad by industrial sector, inflows and outflows by country, and by inward and outward position.See Also Source OECD. - EIU World Investment Report
The service covers the world's 60 largest economies and provides detailed data and analysis on the political and economic background, the business environment, business costs, foreign investment regulations, trends in foreign investment. Plus a detailed database containing flows of investment and mergers & acquisitions by country and by industry. - UNCTAD Foreign Direct Investment Database
The FDI database presents aggregate inflows, outflows, inward stocks and outward stocks of foreign direct investment (FDI) for 196 reporting economies in an interactive format. - World Investment Report. United Nations.
Also Bobst Ref6 Desk current year, and Int'l. Docs. HG4538.W67, 1991-.
Covers global trends, FDI flows, investment policy issues, 100 largest TNCs, host country determinants of FDI and a statistical annex in the back. - World Investment Directory. United Nations.
Bobst Ref6 Int'l. Docs, aisle 15, sales section II.A, and IIS fiche current 4050-S26, 1993-1994 IIS fiche 3080-S60
Seven volume set arranged by region (released at various times) with FDI indicators by type, firm, sector/industry, and home/host partner country. See also World Investment Directory Online for selected information. - World Development Indicators Washington, D.C.: World Bank. (annual). 500 time series indicators for 148 countries and regional and income groups, with basic indicators for a further 62 countries. Time series for most indicators cover 1960 to the present. Includes FDI, gross domestic fixed investment, net direct and portfolio investment, and more.
- Balance of Payments Statistics. International Monetary Fund.
Bobst Ref6 Desk current, and Int'l. Docs. HF1041.I5, 1967-
Part 1 provides 8-year detailed balance-of-payments figures by country, including statistics for goods, services and income, capital account, reserves, unrequited transfers, direct investment abroad, and direct investment in each country. Part 2 contains world totals for balance of payments components and aggregates. - Balance of Payments Statistics Online
- The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), an agency of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, publishes a large amount of information on international accounts data, including BOP, FDI, US investment abroad and more. For a comprehensive listing of BEA publications on direct investment, go to http://www.bea.doc.gov/.
- International Direct Investment. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, BEA.
Bobst Ref6 US Docs C59.2:IN 8/6
Collection of key studies by the BEA on U.S. direct investment abroad and FDI in the US, including a guide to their statistics. - US Direct Investment Abroad...Benchmark Survey, Preliminary Results. US Dept. Of Commerce
Bobst Ref6 US Docs. C59.20, and ASI fiche 2704-5.
Data on the financial structure and operations of US parent companies and their non-bank foreign affiliate, including income statements, balance statements, trade in goods, sales, employment and compensation, and more. Please note, these are very slow in coming out (e.g., 1994 was published in 1997). Look for revised estimates in the July issue of the Survey of Current Business. - Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. US Dept. of Commerce, International Trade Administration
Bobst Ref6 US Docs C61.25, 1974-, and ASI fiche 2704-4. Identifies and analyzes FDI transactions in the US. Iincludes statistical tables such as investment transactions by SIC and country. - Survey of Current Business. U.S. Dept. Of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. (monthly).
Bobst Ref6 Desk current year, and US Docs C59.11, 1978, 1980-, and ASI 2702-1. Contains important feature articles and statistics affecting international business. Each monthly issue includes statistics on U.S. international transactions in goods and services, international position of the U.S., U.S. direct investment abroad, and financial and operating data of nonbank U.S. affiliates of foreign countries. - STAT-USA
A databank of over 90,000 documents, tables and periodicals released on a monthly basis by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Sources include international and economic trade statistics from over 15 federal agencies. - Statistical Universe
An excellent resource for statistics from international organizations such as the IMF, OECD, UN, World Bank, and more.
