international trade
Cross-border economic exchange
International trade is the exchange of goods and services across national borders—countries buying from and selling to each other.
It encompasses imports, exports, tariffs, and trade agreements.
International trade has made consumer electronics cheaper worldwide.
The term often appears in discussions of economic policy, globalization, and supply chains.
Transporting goods to destinations
- freightGoods being transported
- containerizationStandardized cargo packaging system
- cargoTransported goods
- supply chainProduct delivery infrastructure
ports · customs clearance · bill of lading · documentation · intermodal · airfreight · warehousing · distribution
Goods sold abroad
- importsGoods brought in
- commoditiesTradeable raw materials
- trading partnersEntities exchanging goods mutually
- bilateralInvolving two parties
multilateral · merchandise · goods · services · cross-border · transactions · commercial law · wholesale
Operating across multiple countries
- outsourcingThird-party task delegation
- offshoringMoving work overseas
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- global supply chainWorldwide network moving goods
emerging markets · economic integration · interdependence · industrialization · reshoring · nearshoring
Taxes on imports
- quotasMandated numerical limits
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- embargoesRestrictions on international commerce
- protectionismShielding local producers
WTO · GATT · NAFTA · retaliation · antidumping · subsidies · concessions · safeguards
Trading between national currencies
- currency conversionChanging money between nations
- letters of creditBank-issued payment guarantees
- exchange rateCurrency conversion value
- hedgingNoncommittal maneuvering
capital flows · remittances · settlement · factoring · SWIFT · balance of payments
shipping
Transporting goods to destinations
- freightGoods being transported
- containerizationStandardized cargo packaging system
- cargoTransported goods
supply chain · ports · customs clearance · bill of lading · documentation · intermodal · airfreight · warehousing · distribution · forwarding
exports
Goods sold abroad
- importsGoods brought in
- commoditiesTradeable raw materials
- trading partnersEntities exchanging goods mutually
bilateral · multilateral · merchandise · goods · services · cross-border · transactions · commercial law · wholesale · distribution
multinational
Operating across multiple countries
- outsourcingThird-party task delegation
- offshoringMoving work overseas
- transnationalCrossing country lines
global supply chain · emerging markets · economic integration · interdependence · industrialization · reshoring · nearshoring
tariffs
Taxes on imports
- quotasMandated numerical limits
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- embargoesRestrictions on international commerce
protectionism · WTO · GATT · NAFTA · retaliation · antidumping · subsidies · concessions · safeguards · dispute resolution
foreign exchange
Trading between national currencies
- currency conversionChanging money between nations
- letters of creditBank-issued payment guarantees
- exchange rateCurrency conversion value
hedging · capital flows · remittances · settlement · factoring · SWIFT · balance of payments
- economicssupply and demand, inflation, GDP, GNP, gross domestic product
- Global Economicseconomic development, economic growth, economic policy, economic unions, GDP
- global businessmultinational corporations, multinationals, multinational, foreign markets, global strategy
- Pacific tradePacific Rim, ASEAN, cargo ships, merchant fleets, shipping routes
- foreign thingsimport, export, external, outside
- Commerce DepartmentNOAA, USPTO, commerce secretary, patents, trademarks
international tradedomestic trade
Commerce within national boundaries
local trade · domestic markets · home market · local commerce · regional trade
international tradeprotectionism
Shielding local producers
trade barriers · isolationism · autarky · economic nationalism · trade embargo
international tradeautarky
Complete economic independence
self-sufficiency · subsistence economy · economic independence · import substitution · localism
trade, nation, national, trader, trademark, nationalism, interact, international, nationality