This report presents descriptive evidence of specialisation trends and investigates empirically their causes and consequences, analysing the role of policies in this process. Then, based on the insights from the backward looking analysis, it draws global trade and specialisation scenarios up to...

This paper presents descriptive evidence of specialisation trends and investigates empirically their causes and consequences, analysing the role of policies in this process. Then, based on the insights from the backward looking analysis, it draws global trade and specialisation scenarios up to...

This paper examines the process of trade liberalisation in Mexico, particularly since the mid-1980s and the signing of the NAFTA agreement, and its impact on economic performance. The average growth of GDP of the Mexican economy since liberalisation has been only one-half the rate...

This paper studies the potential for the export sector to play a more important role in promoting growth in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic (CAPDR) through deeper intra-regional and global trade integration. CAPDR countries have enacted many free trade agreements and other...

Most of the expansion of global trade during the last three decades has been of the North-South kind – between capital-abundant developed and labour-abundant developing countries. Based on this observation, I argue that the recent growth of world trade is best understood from a...

This paper examines the theoretical and empirical grounds for trade liberalisation. We note that many of the conventional arguments relating to the static and dynamic gains from liberalisation are based on fragile theoretical grounds. We also show that, although new trade theory takes account of...

The paper examines the effect of FDI and its interaction with trade openness on income inequality in Nigeria. In doing this, the DOLS estimator is employed to analyse annual time series data covering the period from 1981 to 2015. The study finds that FDI inflows positively affect income...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between trade openness and economic growth in developing countries. Under this aim, the co-integration relationship between trade openness and economic growth of 17 developing countries is examined without relying on data...

China has grown to become an economic powerhouse and engine of global demand. However, China's projected GDP growth rates are now anticipated to remain below 7% per annum over the next five years. This issue of Trade Insights examines how the ‘new normal' of lower economic growth in China will...

We develop a two country, three-sector model to study the effects of trade policies for Korean structural change from 1963 through 2000. The model features Armington trade, import tariffs, and export subsidies. Tariff liberalization increases imports and total trade, especially agricultural...