The Federal Reserve Board eagle logo links to Board's home page

International Finance Discussion Papers
The International Finance Discussion Papers logo links to the International Finance Discussion Papers home page Where are Global and U.S. Trade Heading in the Aftermath of the Trade Collapse: Issues and Alternative Scenarios
Joseph W. Gruber , Filippo di Mauro, Bernd Schnatz, and Nico Zorell
2011-1017  (March 2011)

Abstract:  Global and U.S. trade declined dramatically in the wake of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and early 2009. The subsequent recovery in trade, while vigorous at first, gradually lost momentum in 2010. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the prospects for global and U.S. trade in the medium term. We develop a unified empirical framework � an error correction model � that exploits the cointegrating relationship between trade and economic activity. The model allows us to juxtapose several scenarios with different assumptions about the strength of GDP growth going forward and the relationship between trade and economic activity. Our analysis suggests that during the crisis both world trade and U.S. exports declined significantly more than would have been expected on the basis of historical relationships with economic activity. Moreover, this gap between actual and equilibrium trade is closing only slowly and could persist for some time to come.

Full paper (327 KB PDF) | Full paper (screen reader version)

Keywords
International trade, error correction model, great recession

PDF files: Adobe Acrobat Reader   ZIP files: PKWARE


Home | IFDPs | List of 2011 IFDPs
Accessibility | Contact Us
Last update: March 24, 2011