April 23, 2021

World Trade Monitor February 2021

Word trade increased with 0,3% in February 2021. Trade growth is fueled by growth in emerging Asia (excluding China) for both imports (+ 5.5%) and exports (+ 2.8%). By contrast, China and the US are showing a contraction in both imports (US: -2.3%; China: -1.4%) and exports (US: -5.1%; China: -1.1%). Global industrial production declined slightly with -0.3% in February compared to January. Underlying this slight contraction is a -1.5% decline in developed economies. In emerging economies the industrial production increased with 0,8%.

Developments in global international trade and industrial production February 2021:

World trade volume increased 0.3% month-on-month (growth was 1.9% in January, initial estimate 2.6%).
World trade momentum was 2.9% (non-annualised; 3.5% in January, initial estimate 3.8%).
World industrial production decreased 0.3% month-on-month (having increased 1.8% in January, initial estimate 1.7%).
World industrial production momentum was 3.7% (non-annualised; 4.0% in January, initial estimate 3.9%).

The next release of the CPB World Trade Monitor is scheduled for 25 May 2021, 12:00 hours.

CPB publishes a World Trade Monitor every month on behalf of the European Commission. It takes two months for the figures to become available. For questions please contact wtm@cpb.nl.

Read also the CPB Background Document 'The CPB World Trade Monitor: technical description (update 2020)'. In September 2016 (starting with the July 2016 monitor) the WTM base year has been moved from 2005 to 2010. Clarification of the procedure and its outcomes is given in the downloadable appendix (CPB Memo 'Change of base year WTM').

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The World Trade Monitor is partially financed by DG ECFIN (Directorate General of Economic and Monetary Affairs of the Economic Commission).