In The News

How Indonesia Should Respond to U.S. Economic Saber Rattling

Patrick Guntensperger April 9, 2004
Recently, the US has begun pursuing a number of threatening trade initiatives meant to end what it calls the "unfair trading practices" of other nations. Indonesia, one of the 55 nations named, is accused of hurting the US economy with excessive trade barriers. According to Jakarta-based business consultant Patrick Guntensperger, the accusations are groundless. To counteract any...

EU Food Rules Test African Development

William Wallis April 6, 2004
New food safety regulations, implemented by the European Union (EU), will make it mandatory "for all fruit and vegetable products arriving in the EU to be traceable at all stages of production, processing and distribution." These new regulations are intended to ensure against potential public health scares such as the mad cow disease that have plagued the EU in recent years. Yet, the...

US Recovery, Asian Surge Will Boost World Trade 7.5%: WTO

Ravi Kanth April 6, 2004
The US economic recovery and Asian trade growth should push global trade higher this year, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yet such growth is susceptible to three risk factors: the level of the US current account and budget deficits; the extent of European economic growth and the value of the Euro; and the volatility of oil prices. With the US current account deficit set to reach...

World Trade Growth Picks Up Speed

April 5, 2004
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is reporting a 4.5 percent increase in trade in 2003, up 1.5 percent from their original cautious estimate. The gains are due, analysts say, to the partial recovery of the American economy and very strong growth in Asia and the post-Soviet states. China alone saw a 40% increase in merchandise imports and a 35% increase in exports. Numbers for 2004 are looking...

Chinese Fuelling Local Growth

Satawasin Staporncharnchai April 5, 2004
A growth in China’s demand for raw materials has affected the Asia-Pacific region, and the global shipping industry at large. The Asian giant’s phenomenal economic growth has fuelled a surge in demand for imports, resulting in higher cargo taxes and freight rates. This demand is expected to increase as China begins to prepare to host the Olympics Games in 2008 by building new facilities. The...

US Recovery, Asian Surge Will Boost World Trade 7.5%: WTO

Ravi Kanth April 4, 2004
The US economic recovery and Asian trade growth should push global trade higher this year, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yet such growth is susceptible to three risk factors: the level of the US current account and budget deficits; the extent of European economic growth and the value of the Euro; and the volatility of oil prices. With the US current account deficit set to reach...

Free But Not Unfettered

Niveen Wahish April 2, 2004
Inexpensive textiles from Southeast Asia and around the world will soon freely enter the Egyptian market. Though Egypt theoretically lifted its 30-year ban on textile imports when it joined the WTO in 2002, since then protectionist tariffs have effectively kept foreign textiles off the market – with mixed consequences for Egypt's domestic industry. As one expert notes, "Although we...