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(WP 2014-02) Trade Volatility and the GATT/WTO: Does Membership Make a Difference?
Economics Working Papers
  • Abdur Chowdhury, Marquette University
  • Xuepeng Liu, Kennesaw State University
  • Miao Wang, Marquette University
  • M. C. Sunny Wong, University of San Francisco
Document Type
Working Paper
Publication Date
4-1-2014
Disciplines
Abstract

Using bilateral trade data for 210 countries over the period 1948-2003, this paper attempts to shed some light on the relationship between WTO and members’ trade volatilities. We show that the trade among WTO members tends to be more stable than the trade outside the WTO, and there is strong evidence of interdependence of trade volatilities. The results show comovement of trade volatilities across all dyads in general, and much stronger comovement among WTO members than between WTO and non-WTO members. Such strong comovement implies that WTO member countries not only share the benefits of having an interdependent and more predictable trade system, but also share the risks of contagious world trade collapse as evidenced by the 2008 global financial crisis. In addition, we find that larger economies and countries covered by other types of integration agreements can do better in coping with such type of contagion.

Citation Information
Abdur Chowdhury, Xuepeng Liu, Miao Wang and M. C. Sunny Wong. "(WP 2014-02) Trade Volatility and the GATT/WTO: Does Membership Make a Difference?" (2014)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/xuepeng_liu/7/