Overseas trade (M8)

The data: coverage, periodicity and timeliness

Coverage characteristics

The overseas merchandise trade price and volume indexes measure changes in the levels of prices and the volumes of imports and exports of merchandise trade to and from New Zealand.

The statistics on trade in goods measures trade in physical items that can be bought or sold. Statistics New Zealand sources this data from export and import entry documents lodged with the New Zealand Customs Service by exporters, importers and their agents.

Merchandise export values and indexes are calculated using New Zealand dollar free on board (FOB) values.

Merchandise import values and indexes use New Zealand dollar VFD values (the value of imports before insurance and freight costs are added).

Periodicity

Quarterly

Timeliness

Provisional merchandise trade indexes are available within nine weeks of the end of the reference quarter. We release final indexes within 22 weeks of the end of the reference quarter.

Access by the public

Statistics release calendar

The statistics release calendar provides a long-term plan of scheduled releases. We update and release the calendar on the first working day of the month.

View the statistics release calendar

Integrity

Dissemination of terms and conditions under which official statistics are produced, including confidentiality of individual responses

We reproduced the data with the permission of Statistics New Zealand.

Provision of information about revisions and advance notice of major changes in methodology

We generally publish revisions when we update and release a table. New or revised data is in bold font.

Data is provisional for one quarter, to allow for the inclusion of late data and amendments to the merchandise trade source data.

Quality

Dissemination of documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics

We sourced data from Statistics New Zealand.

Overseas trade indexes

Prices (index)

The overseas merchandise trade price indexes measure changes in the price levels of imports and exports of merchandise trade to and from New Zealand.

Volumes (index)

The overseas merchandise trade volume indexes measure changes in the levels of volumes of exports and imports of merchandise trade to and from New Zealand.

Values (NZD million)

The merchandise export values are calculated using New Zealand-dollar free on board (FOB) values. Export FOB values represent actual or estimated transaction prices of goods, including costs incurred in delivering goods on board ships and aircraft at New Zealand ports of export.

The merchandise import values use New Zealand-dollar VFD values (the value of imports before insurance and freight costs are added).

Symbols and conventions for summary table

General notes

• Individual figures may not sum to the totals due to rounding
• Percentage changes are calculated on unrounded numbers
• You are free to copy, distribute and adapt these statistics subject to the conditions listed on our copyright page.