Balance of Trade (BOT): Definition, Calculation, and Examples

What Is the Balance of Trade (BOT)?

Balance of trade (BOT) is the difference between the value of a country's exports and the value of a country's imports for a given period. Balance of trade is the largest component of a country's balance of payments (BOP). Sometimes the balance of trade between a country's goods and the balance of trade between its services are distinguished as two separate figures.

The balance of trade is also referred to as the trade balance, the international trade balance, the commercial balance, or the net exports.

Understanding the Balance of Trade (BOT)

The formula for calculating the BOT can be simplified as the total value of exports minus the total value of its imports. The BOT on its own is not an indicator of economic health, and a negative trade balance is not necessarily bad. In order to use the trade balance as part of an economic health assessment, context is needed. One must look at why the balance is positive or negative.

A country that imports more goods and services than it exports in terms of value has a trade deficit or a negative trade balance. Conversely, a country that exports more goods and services than it imports has a trade surplus or a positive trade balance.

A positive balance of trade indicates that a country's producers have an active foreign market. After producing enough goods to satisfy local demand, there is enough demand from customers abroad to keep local producers busy. A negative balance of trade means that currency flows outwards to pay for exports, indicating that the country may be overly reliant on foreign goods. However, that is not always the case. It could also mean the country is wealthy and has a high level of demand that needs to be satisfied.

Calculating the Balance of Trade

A country's balance of trade is calculated by the following formula:

$\begin{aligned}&\textbf{BOT}=\textbf{Exports}-\textbf{Imports}\end{aligned}$​BOT=Exports−Imports​

Where exports represents the currency value of all goods and services exported to foreign countries, and imports represents the currency value of all goods and services imported from foreign countries.

Example of How to Calculate the BOT

Here's an example of how to calculate the balance of trade:

Let's say that a country's export in a given year are worth $100 million, and its imports are worth $80 million. To calculate the balance of trade, you would subtract the value of the imports from the value of the exports:

Balance of trade = Exports - Imports
= $100 million - $80 million
= $20 million

In this example, the balance of trade is +$20 million, which means that the country has a trade surplus of $20 million.

It's important to note that the balance of trade is typically measured in the currency of the country whose trade balance is being calculated. For example, if the country in the above example is the United States, the balance of trade would be measured in US dollars. If the country is Japan, it would be measured in Japanese yen, and so on.

Examples of Balance of Trade

The United States imported $324.6  billion in goods and services in January 2024, and exported $257.2 billion in goods and services to other countries. In January 2024, the United States had a trade balance of -$67.4 billion, or a $67.4 billion trade deficit.

A trade deficit is not a recent occurrence in the United States. In fact, the country has had a persistent trade deficit since the 1970s. Throughout most of the 19th century, the country also had a trade deficit (between 1800 and 1870, the United States ran a trade deficit for all but three years).

For its January-February 2024 period, China reported a trade surplus of $125.16 billion. This was significantly higher than forecasted amounts, and much greater than the December 2023 trade surplus of $75.3 billion.

Balance of Trade: Surplus vs. Deficit

A numerically positive balance of trade, also known as a trade surplus, occurs when a country's exports are worth more than its imports. This is measured in their total value using the country's currency. A trade surplus can be a result of a country having a competitive advantage in the production and export of certain goods, or it can be the result of a country's currency being relatively undervalued, making its exports cheaper for foreign buyers.

On the other hand, a numerically negative balance of trade, also known as a trade deficit, occurs when a country imports more goods and services than it exports in terms of their total value in the country's currency. This means that the country is spending more on imports than it is earning from exports. While it may be a cause for concern in some instances, often it's not a problem. It is also not an indication of economic crisis, or weakness. A trade deficit can be the result of a country having a comparative disadvantage in the production of certain goods, or it can be the result of a country's currency being relatively overvalued, making its imports cheaper and its exports more expensive.

In general, a trade surplus is seen as a positive sign for a country's economy, while a trade deficit is often seen as a negative sign. However, this is not always the case. A trade surplus or trade deficit is not inherently good nor bad. The balance of trade alone is not an indicator of economic health. The context of the balance of trade is very important. It's necessary to look at why a trade deficit or surplus is occurring. For example, if imports fall faster than exports due to a recession killing demand that would be a situation in which a surplus can occur during a time of economic difficulty. On the other hand exports could boom due to an increase in demand from a key trading partner, an example of a trade surplus in positive times. To access an economy's overall strength or weakness, it's also necessary to look beyond the balance of trade at things such as inflation, unemployment, growth, production, and more.

Special Considerations

A country with a large trade deficit borrows money to pay for its goods and services, while a country with a large trade surplus lends money to deficit countries. A country may only be able to borrow a lot to run that deficit if it is deemed dependable and creditworthy. The United States would be a great example of such a country. On the other hand, the less creditworthy a country, the higher its borrowing costs will be, and therefore its deficit will be more damaging.

A trade surplus or deficit is not always a viable indicator of an economy's health, and it must be considered in the context of the business cycle and other economic indicators. For example, in a recession, countries prefer to export more to create jobs and in turn more demand in the economy from those benefiting from the new jobs. In times of economic expansion, countries have a great appetite for imports and may use them to increase price competition, which limits inflation.

Balance of Trade vs. Balance of Payments

The balance of trade is the difference between a country's exports and imports of goods and services, while the balance of payments is a record of all international economic transactions made by a country's residents, including trade as well as financial capital and financial transfers. The balance of trade is a part of the balance of payments and is represented in the current account, which also includes income from investments and transfers such as foreign aid and gifts. The capital account, which is another part of the balance of payments, includes financial capital and financial transfers.

It's important to note that the balance of trade and the balance of payments are not the same thing, although they are related. The balance of trade measures the flow of goods and services into and out of a country, while the balance of payments measures all international transactions, including trade in goods and services, financial capital, and financial transfers.

A country can have a positive balance of trade (a trade surplus) and a negative balance of payments (a deficit) if it is exporting more goods than it is importing, but it is also losing financial capital or making financial transfers. Conversely, a country can have a negative balance of trade (a trade deficit) and a positive balance of payments (a surplus) if it is importing more goods than it is exporting, but it is also receiving a large amount of financial capital or receiving financial transfers.

The Bottom Line

The balance of trade is the difference between a country's exports and imports of goods. A numerically positive balance of trade, also known as a trade surplus, occurs when a country exports more goods than it imports. This means that the country is earning more from its exports than it is spending on its imports, and it is generally seen as a sign of economic strength. Although, it's not an indicator of economic health on its own.

On the other hand, a numerically negative balance of trade, also known as a trade deficit, occurs when a country imports more goods than it exports. This means that the country is spending more on imports than it is earning from exports, and it can be a cause for concern if it persists over a long period of time. However, it's not always a problem, and many successful economies have run trade deficits for decades. The balance of trade is an important component of a country's balance of payments, which is a record of all its international financial transactions.

Correction—Feb. 8, 2023: A previous version of this article incorrectly defined a positive balance of trade and a negative balance of payments. It has been edited to reflect that a positive balance of trade and negative balance of payments occurs when a country is exporting more goods than it is importing.