Shadow Markets Trend Reversed in 2007

http://www.voxeu.org/article/shadow-economies-around-world-model-based-estimates
Shadow markets. What are the predictions since the sharp upturn in 2007?

For almost all country groups (except for the post-Socialist one), we observe a declining trend over time. However, the pace of the reduction seems to lose some momentum in the last decade. Somewhat more interestingly, we observe a spike staring in 2007. Considering the emergence of the global economic crisis, this could give further support for the hypothesis that the size of the shadow economy is countercyclical, as suggested by Roca et al (2001) and Elgin (2012).

China Eclipses U.S. as Biggest Trading Nation

 

U.S. exports and imports of goods last year totaled $3.82 trillion, the U.S. Commerce Department said last week. China’s customs administration reported last month that the country’s trade in goods in 2012 amounted to $3.87 trillion. Bloomberg Feb 2013