Foreign TradeForeign TradeForeign TradeForeign Trade
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updates
What is Home/Domestic Trade?
• Buying and selling of goods & services in our own country.
What is Foreign Trade?• Importing: buying goods & services
from other countries.
• Exporting: selling goods & services to other countries.
Who are our main Trading Partners?
COUNTRY CURRENCY LANGUAGE
USA Dollar English
Britain Sterling English
Europe Euro + others
Various
Japan(importing)
Japanese Yen Japanese
What are imports?• Goods and services that we buy
from other countries.
• Money leaves Ireland.
Why do we import?
• To obtain goods that are not available in Ireland. Eg. oil, tea, coffee ………….
• To avail of services not in Ireland. Eg. pop groups, foreign holidays………• To have varitey and choice of goods &
services.
Visible Imports• Goods which are bought from
other countries.• Money leaves the country• Eg. citrus fruit, wine, cars……..
Invisible Imports
• Services that are bought from other countries.
• Money leaves the country. • Eg. • Irish person on holidy in USA• BEP in concert in Dublin• French horse winning Irish Grand National
What is Import Substitution?
• Buying Irish goods instead of foreign goods.
• Eg. buying Irish potatoes instead of Spanish potatoes.
What are Exports?
• Irish goods and services that we sell to foreign countries.
• Money comes into the country.
Why do we export?
• To obtain foreign currency needed to buy our imports.
• Ireland is a small country so we need a wider market such as EU, USA etc.
• Selling more means more jobs are created.
Visible Exports
• Irish goods that are sold to foreign countries.
• Money comes into the country.
• Eg. Irish beef sold abroad.• Tullamore Dew sold to UK• Waterford Crystal sold to US.
Invisible Exports• Irish services that are sold to foreign
countries.• Money comes into the country.• Eg.• Westlife playing in Wembly.• US citizen on holidy on Ireland.• Irish horse winning the English Grand
National.
Problems connected with foreign trade.
• Language• Currency – exchange rates may
change.• Transport• Insurance• Safety standards are different in each
country.
What is the Balance of Trade? (TV)
• Visible Exports – Visible Imports
What is the Balance of Invisible Trade?
• Invisible Exports – Invisible Imports
What is the Balance of Payments?
Total Exports – Total Imports
Balance of Trade/Payments can
be…….
• Surplus: Exports greater than Imports
• Deficit: Imports greater than Exports
• Balanced: Exports = Imports
Benefits of a Balance of Payments Surplus
• More money coming into the country.• This money can be used to pay off
some of our debt or reduce tax.• More money and jobs and a
better standard of living for Irish people.
What problems will a Balance of Payments
deficit cause?
• Too much money leaving the country.• Government will have to raise taxes
and/or borrow.• Irish people will lose their jobs.
How can a Balance of Payments Deficit be
reduced?
• Import substiution: Buy Irish!
• Government Agencies such as An Bord Trachtala, Failte Ireland and An Bord Bia can promote/market Irish exports.
Exam Question 2006 P1 Q 3.
• Balance of Trade• Visible Exports €540m• Less Visible Imports €400m• Surplus €140m
Continued..• Balance of Invisible Trade• Invisible Exports €620m• Less Invisible Imports €260m• Surplus €360m
Continued…• Balance of Payments• Total Exports (540+620) €1160• Less Total Imports (400+260) € 660• Surplus €500