Different measures are used to analyze trade. Trade report provides us with all sorts of information regarding the volume of exports and imports, nature of the commodity traded, pattern of trade agreement, and the like. In-depth analysis of a yearly trade report offers a comprehensive picture of how well a nation has performed on the front of exchange of commodities and services both in domestic and international markets.
If a country continues to accrue gains from trade for successive years, then the economy of that country is said to be in a stable position. On the other hand, if a trading nation incurs loss from international trade, then that economy is said to be in an unfavorable state. Trade review also provides us with an idea about the availability of resources in a particular country and technology used in the production of goods and services. It is the difference in comparative advantage that determines the terms of trade between two trading nations.
The World Trade Report is extensively used in the analysis of trade. Besides the yearly World Trade Report, there are many other country-specific trade reviews that are widely used in analyzing the pattern and trends of trade. The yearly and quarterly trade data are extremely helpful for the analysis of domestic and cross-border trade.