Research and Course Guides: Business Resources for Exporters: Economic/Trade Resources

Books

Export/Import Procedures and Documentation, 5th ed. by Donna L. Bade
Publication Date: 2015
This comprehensive answer book supplies readers with a clear view of the entire export/import process, explaining the ins and outs of shipping and insurance; payment mechanisms; distributors vs. agents; customs and export control requirements; and transportation issues.
Building Your Business Through Export by John Westwood
Publication Date: 2012
In this thorough but accessible guide, John Westwood explains how to navigate the risks, build an understanding of potential target markets and make the most of the services many governments make available to their exporters as you develop and implement your export strategy.

Export.gov's Africa Portal
One-stop shop for trade assistance in Africa.
African Development Bank
Premier financial development institution of Africa.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Regional community of economic cooperation and development.
Economic Report on Africa
The African continent's economic performance and outlook, emphasizing economic conditions and policy.

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
U.N. agency that contributes to the economic development of the region and its member countries.
Inter-American Development Bank
Development institution for the region; includes economic, trade, and social data.

CIA World Factbook
The U.S. government's complete geographical handbook, featuring 268 full-color maps and flags of all nations and geographical entities. Each country profile tracks such demographics as population, ethnicity and literacy rates, as well as political, geographical and economic data. Free web site.
Tariff and Import Fees
Information on how to determine tariff and import fees, from Export.gov.
Country-Specific Tariff and Tax Information
Tax and tariff information (import and export information) for many countries, from Export.gov.
Export.gov
Government site to assist American businesses in planning their international sales strategies.

Factiva This link opens in a new window
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Factiva is a great source for finding up-to-the-minute news articles from publications around the world including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Financial Times. It also contains many smaller market news sources, trade magazines, and journals. Use the Companies and Markets option to access company profiles and industry data. Limited to 6 simultaneous users.
If you use Factiva's Share>Within My Account feature to find links for emailing or to use in Canvas, that URL needs to be adjusted with a special code to connect it with our subscription. Copy that URL and paste it into our ProxyMe! widget to create the adjusted URL.
International Financial Statistics Online This link opens in a new window
Sponsored by the International Monetary Fund, IFS is a standard source of economic and financial data for most countries of the world. Includes many macroeconomic indicators including measures of money supply, exchange rates, trade/balance of payments, prices/inflation, interest rates, employment, and national income & product accounts. Useful for international economics and business statistical data needs. Can search for indicators & countries and download to Excel.

World Bank Countries & Regions
Includes country profiles, statistics, and general reports.
World Bank Data & Statistics
World Bank data sources, including databases, pre-formatted tables, and reports.
IMF Country Information
Includes full text IMF Staff reports, statistical information, reports on issues impacting each country and more.
World Investment Report
Focuses on foreign direct investment trends, at the regional and country level. From the United Nations.
Conference Board International Labor Comparisons
"ILC is dedicated to producing economic indicators that optimize research, comparison, and planning in a global context." Not all data is free.
International Labor Comparisons (BLS)
The International Labor Comparisons (ILC) program adjusts data to a common conceptual framework because direct comparisons of national statistics across countries can be misleading due to differing concepts and methods. ILC data are used to assess U.S. economic and labor market performance relative to that of other countries and to evaluate the competitive position of the United States in increasingly global markets. From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.) PROGRAM DISCONTINUED; data current to 2012.
Export and Trade Statistics (State of Minnesota)
International trade information for Minnesotans, from the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Provides economic and trade information for the 21 member countries.
ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Economic development agency of southeast Asia.
Asian Development Bank
Covers economics and statistics, country assistance plans, and country operational strategy.
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
The U.N.'s regional development arm for the Asia-Pacific region. Includes 62 governments.
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
U.N. agency promoting economic and social development in the region.

OECD Economic Surveys
A valuable series of one-volume studies of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) countries containing good economic and political data, with tables and graphs.
Economic Commission for Europe
U.N. agency that fosters economic growth among its 56 member countries. Includes comparable economic data for Europe, North America, and Central Asia.
European Central Bank
Central bank for Europe's single currency.
European Investment Bank
Long-term lending bank of the European Union. Has information on capital markets, detailed economic and financial reports, and information about current projects and loans.