A Trade Performance Index for South Africa

The Trade Performance Index (TPI) is a tool developed by the International Trade Centre (ITC) for assessing and monitoring the multi-faceted dimensions of export performance and competitiveness of countries and their principal export sectors. At present, the TPI covers 184 countries and 14 different sectors. It reveals how competitive and diversified a particular export sector is in comparison to those of other countries. The TPI covers basic performance characteristics. It brings out gains and losses in world market shares and sheds light on the factors behind these changes. Moreover, it monitors the diversification of export products and markets. The TPI provides a systematic overview of sectoral export performance and comparative and competitive advantages.