Northern Ireland Businesses: Trade Flows, Surplus and Deficit

As a small open economy, Northern Ireland sells and purchases goods and services both within the local markets of NI and Great Britain and exports and imports these internationally. The value of sales and purchases by NI businesses are reported on in the Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (BESES) published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Further secondary analyses was taken forward with the 2016 BESES data to explore the patterning of trade by NI businesses who sold into, or purchased from, specific markets (Northern Ireland - NI, Great Britain - GB, Ireland - ROI, the Rest of Europe - REU and the Rest of the World - ROW) with a particular focus on external trade.