Indicator Digest

Forex Resources

Open a Free Practice Account

Open a free practice account and experience the Forex market risk-free with exclusive access to VT Trader™ 2.0.

Simulated conditions may differ from real conditions, and traders should not necessarily expect the same results from live trading.

Trade Balance

The Trade Balance measures a countries' trade in the world by examining exports and imports. A positive value means a country exported more than it imported. In some countries like Germany and Japan, exports make up an important part of GDP. Higher levels of exports for a country will tend to increase the demand for that country's currency, as foreign firms have to purchase those exports in the country's domestic currency.

Main Indicator: Trade Balance

Most Recent Release

February
23rd, 2010

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

85.2B

-136B

545B

N/A

For December (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (s.a.): ¥728B, forecast ¥544B, pr. ¥520B (Dec),
¥492B (Nov)

Table of Past Data

	5/26	6/23	7/22	8/25	9/23	10/21	11/24	12/20	1/26	2/23

Actual	68.9B	220B	0.50T	0.19T	0.24T	58.6B	419.1B	0.49T	545B	85.2B
Forecast		200B	0.51T	0.34T	0.19T	375.0B	300.0B	0.27T	590B	-136B
Previous	10.3B	-520B	0.22T	0.37T	0.19T	235.4B	58.6B	0.42T	371B	545B
Revised From	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.44T	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	373B	N/A

Past Releases

January
26th, 2010

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

545B

590B

371B

373B

For December (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (s.a.): 520B, forecast 610B, pr. 492B R+ (Nov)

	Actual	Exp	Nov	Oct	Sep	Aug	Jul
Exports y/y	12.1%	8.6%	-6.2%	-23.2%	-30.6%	-36.0%	-36.5%
Imports y/y	-5.5%	-10.7%	-16.8%	-35.6%	-36.9%	-41.3%	-40.8%

Japanese exports posted their first on-year rise in 15 months in December, climbing 12.1%, as demand from Asia helped power overseas sales. The export sector will need to play an important role for the Japanese economy during the recovery as domestic demand remains weak. The trade balance posted a surplus of Y545B, which was lower than expectations. Exports outperformed forecasts but imports fell by a smaller than expected amount, negatively impacting the trade balance and causing the headline figure to miss expectations.

December
20th, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

0.49T

0.27T

0.42T

N/A

For November (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Previous Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 373.9B, pr. 801.7B (Oct), 525.3B (Sep),
185.7B (Aug), 0.38T (Jul), 0.50T (Jun), -52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar),
82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct)

Exports y/y: -6.2%, pr. -23.2% (Oct), -30.6% (Sep), -36% (Aug),
-36.5% (Jul), -35.7% (Jun)
Imports y/y: -16.8%, pr. -35.6% (Oct), -36.9% (Sep), -41.3% (Aug),
-40.8% (Jul), -41.9% (Jun)

November
24th, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

419.1B

300.0B

58.6B

N/A

For October (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 801.7B, forecast 465.5B, pr. 525.3B (Sep),
185.7B (Aug), 0.38T (Jul), 0.50T (Jun), -52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar),
82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct)

Exports y/y: -23.2%, forecast -27.0%, pr. -30.6% (Sep), -36% (Aug),
-36.5% (Jul), -35.7% (Jun)
Imports y/y: -35.6%, forecast -34.1% pr. -36.9% (Sep), -41.3% (Aug),
-40.8% (Jul), -41.9% (Jun)

October
21st, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

58.6B

375.0B

235.4B

N/A

For September (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 520.6B, forecast 645.3B, pr. 185.7B (Aug),
0.38T (Jul), 0.50T (Jun), -52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar), 82.1B (Feb),
-0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct), 0.09T (Sep)

Exports y/y: -30.7%, forecast -29.7%, pr. -36% (Aug), -36.5% (Jul),
-35.7% (Jun)
Imports y/y: -36.9%, forecast -38%, pr. -41.3% (Aug), -40.8% (Jul),
-41.9% (Jun)

September
23rd, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

0.24T

0.19T

N/A

For August (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 0.18T, pr. 0.38T (Jul), 0.50T (Jun),
-52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar), 82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec),
-0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct), 0.09T (Sep), -0.32T (Aug), 0.09T (Jul)

Exports y/y: -36%, pr. -36.5% (4.84T yen) (Jul), -35.7% (Jun)
Imports y/y: -41.3%, pr. -40.8% (4.46T yen) (Jul), -41.9% (Jun)

August
25th, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

0.19T

0.34T

0.37T

0.44T

For July (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Official Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 0.38T, forecast 0.39T, pr. 0.50T (Jun),
-52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar), 82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec '08),
-0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct), 0.09T (Sep), -0.32T (Aug), 0.09T (Jul)

Exports y/y: -36.5% (4.84T yen), pr. -35.7% (Jun)
Imports y/y: -40.8% (4.46T yen), pr. -41.9% (Jun)

July
22nd, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

0.50T

0.51T

0.22T

N/A

For June (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Previous Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): 438.2B, pr. -52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar),
82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan), -0.32T (Dec '07), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct),
0.09T (Sep), -0.32T (Aug), 0.09T (Jul), 0.13T (Jun)

June
23rd, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

220B

200B

-520B

N/A

For May (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Previous Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): pr. -52.1B (Apr), -97.1B (Mar), 82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan),
-0.32T (Dec '07), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct), 0.09T (Sep), -0.32T (Aug),
0.09T (Jul), 0.13T (Jun)

May
26th, 2009

Actual

Forecast

Revised Form

68.9B

10.3B

N/A

For April (s.a.) in Yen
Provided by: Ministry of Finance
Previous Release: PDF

Trade Balance (n.s.a.): -52.1B, pr. -97.1B (Mar), 82.1B (Feb), -0.95T (Jan),
-0.32T (Dec '07), -0.22T (Nov), -0.06T (Oct), 0.09T (Sep), -0.32T (Aug),
0.09T (Jul), 0.13T (Jun)

The Japanese trade surplus was a seasonally adjusted 68.9 billion yen ($725 million) in April, as the decline in exports that has been dragging down the economy began to slow. Exports fell 39.1% compared to a year earlier, which was less than the 45.5% drop experienced in March and a record 49.4% decrease in February. That can mean that the worst of the pullback in global trade may have passed. Exports to China, the US and Europe all fell at the slowest pace this year. With domestic spending by both consumers and firms stagnant, a rebound in export growth would be a big boost in helping engineer a recovery to the current recession as it could stimulate industrial production. Imports, meanwhile, fell 35.8% compared to a year ago, close to the level they declined in the previous month.