Trade and Investment

Here's why it's time to ditch our obsession with trade deficits

They're a distraction that could cost jobs and growth. Image: Enrapture Media

Arancha González Laya
Executive Director, International Trade Centre
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Trade and Investment

 Three ways of looking at the US trade deficit with China (as % of GDP)
Three ways of looking at the US trade deficit with China (as % of GDP) Image: Oxford Economics
Percentage of employment in manufacturing in the US and Germany
Manufacturing jobs in the US and Germany Image: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
 Current account balance for European Union member states, as % of GDP, 2017
Current account balance for EU states, as % of GDP, 2017 Image: Eurostat
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Related topics:
Trade and InvestmentInequalityFinancial and Monetary Systems
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International trade: what you need to know this month

Edgard Carneiro Vieira

September 18, 2023

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