The Northern Ireland economy sells and purchases goods and services both within the local markets of Northern Ireland and Great Britain and exports and imports these internationally. The Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (BESES) published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) reports on the value of sales and purchases by NI businesses. This secondary analyses was taken forward to take a deeper look into business trade focusing on business characteristics and outcomes, comparing local sellers to external sellers and exporters to provide additional detail on the Northern Ireland Economy.
Beyond the Destination and Industry Section output already contained in the main BESES publications, additional combinations of characteristics of businesses are examined to attain a deeper insight to the types of businesses that contribute to the overall picture.
Characteristics of Northern Ireland Firms Engaged in Trade