Column and line chart of quarterly world merchandise exports and imports in billion constant US dollars, 2005-09. 2005Q1: exports 2697.01, imports 2802.49, total trade 5499.51. 2006Q1: exports 2978.55, imports 3068.78, total trade 6047.33. 2007Q1: exports 3274.66, imports 3376.9, total trade 6651.56. 2008Q1: exports 3982.08, imports 4060.72, total trade 8042.79, change over preceding quarter 1.0%. 2008Q2: exports 4391.09, imports 4458.29, total trade 8849.38, change 10.0%. 2008Q3: exports 4340.41, imports 4447.31, total trade 8787.72, change -0.7%. 2008Q4: exports 3443.67, imports 3588.67, total trade 7032.34, change -20.0%. 2009Q1: exports 2673, imports 2784, total trade 5457, change -22.4%.

Quarterly world merchandise trade (columns, scale at left Y-axis) suffered a setback in Q3 2008. The fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 registered appalling performances, with a quarter-on-quarter trade percent change of -20% and -22% (red line, scale at right Y-axis). The contraction mirrors the magnitude and depth of the current world economy crisis.

 

Quarterly World Merchandise Exports and Imports
2005Q1-2009Q1

Quarter

Exports

Imports

Total

% change

GDP deflator

Billion US$ (constant 2009Q1=100)
2005 Q12,6972,8025,500 111.77
2006 Q22,8752,9795,8546.5%112.35
2007 Q32,8672,9655,831-0.4%113.47
2008 Q42,9803,0706,0503.7%114.53
2006 Q12,9793,0696,0470.0%115.53
2006 Q23,2063,2996,5057.6%116.32
2006 Q33,2423,3266,5681.0%117.11
2006 Q43,3593,4376,7973.5%117.73
2007 Q13,2753,3776,652-2.1%118.96
2007 Q23,5103,5937,1026.8%119.55
2007 Q33,6083,7017,3092.9%120
2007 Q43,9424,0197,9608.9%120.74
2008 Q13,9824,0618,0431.0%121.51
2008 Q24,3914,4588,84910.0%121.89
2008 Q34,3404,4478,788-0.7%123.06
2008 Q43,4443,5897,032-20.0%123.24
2009 Q12,6732,7845,457-22.4%124.1

 

Sources: see WTO for merchandise trade data, and BEA for GDP deflator.

 

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