According to preliminary estimates by UNCTAD and World Trade Organization (WTO), the world quarterly merchandise exports volume decreased by 0.7% in the third quarter of 2013 compared with the quarter before. At the same time, world merchandise imports volume growth remained positive at 0.3%.
The regions that export large quantities of natural resources registered a drop in export volumes, including transition economies (-0.2%), South America (-0.4%), Central America (-1.2%), and developing Western Asia (-0.2%). The sharpest decline in exports volume in the third quarter this year was observed in Northern Africa (-14.5%).
The quarterly merchandise trade volume indices, the result of the common work of WTO and UNCTAD, are published simultaneously by both institutions at UNCTADStat and WTO short-term merchandise trade statistics.
The cooperation between the two organizations on the volume indices started with the agreement on methodological principles, standards and procedures to ensure the comparability of data and led to the accord on the content and timing of the joint statistical release.
