Merchandise trade contracted in most major economies in the fourth quarter of 2011. Total imports of G7 and BRICS countries shrank by 0.2%, following the 0.7% fall recorded in the previous quarter.

Total exports fell 1.2% compared to a 0.9% increase in the previous quarter.

Merchandise trade fell sharply in all major euro zone economies, with both exports and imports back to levels seen around the beginning of 2011. Exports and imports  fell in  Germany (by 4.0% and 5.9% respectively), France (down 3.9% and 4.1%) and Italy (down 3.1% and 6.9%). Merchandise trade also slowed in the United Kingdom, with imports falling by 1.9% and exports rising only marginally by 0.3%.

Imports rose by 1.8%  in the  United States and by 4.7% in  China but exports contracted in both economies for the first time since the second quarter of 2009.  Imports grew marginally in Canada but exports also contracted.

In Japan, exports fell 5.0% compared with the 7.8% growth seen in the previous quarter which had been partly due to a technical rebound after the earthquake. Import growth slowed to 1.2%.  Imports and exports also fell in India and South Africa but grew in Russia and Brazil.

Fuente: OECD

Documento  completo en: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/27/49782156.pdf