The United States plans to pursue a "robust" trade agenda, including negotiation of new deals and enforcement of old ones, to create jobs and stimulate economic growth, the top U.S. trade official said on Wednesday. "We're not going to leave any jobs on the table," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In a wide-ranging speech, Kirk said the United States and eight other countries in the Asia Pacific were determined to reach agreement on a regional trade pact by the end of 2012.

Ukraine has sent to the World Trade Organization a note asking for a future opportunity to review its tariff commitments in the framework of this organization, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Volodymyr Bandurov said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The United States and European Union agreed Tuesday to reduce red tape related to cargo security and pledged to work toward tearing down tariffs and regulatory barriers between the world’s largest trading partners. "The leaders have asked to look at all aspects of our relationship and see what we can do to strengthen our economic ties and support good jobs and growth on both sides of the Atlantic," White House international economics adviser Michael Froman told reporters at the end of the annual U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC).

To help businesses with plants damaged by the floods in the country, Thailand’s government has approved the waiving of duties on their imports of machinery and spare parts, until the end of June 2012. The measure will cover imports from October 25 until that date. At its announcement, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, Kittiratt Na-Ranong, said that the government could not quantify its revenue loss from the waiver, as it would have to await specification by businesses of the goods to be imported before being able to make an estimate.

Chicago grain prices extended gains on Tuesday amid increasing optimism in the eurozone after Italy managed to sell government bonds to the market, even though at a record high price. The most active corn contract for March delivery rose 7 cents, or 1.2 percent, to close at 6.055 U.S. dollars per bushel. March wheat jumped 23 cents, or 3.9 percent, to 6.16 dollars per bushel. January soybean rallied 4 cents, or 0.4 percent, to close at 11.25 dollars per bushel.

HA NOI – The agricultural, forestry and fishery industries gained a year-on-year increase of 30.6 per cent in export value for the first 11 months of this year, reaching US$22.6 billion, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The major farming products saw the largest export value growth at 36.6 per cent to $12.3 billion. Following that, the fisheries export value grew 24.9 per cent to $5.6 billion and then the forestry export value at 14.2 per cent to $3.8 billion.

South Korea’s Ministry of Strategy and Finance has announced a further expansion of its tariff exemption programme for products from least-developed countries (LDCs), with effect from January 1 next year.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday completed the process to implement a contentious free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States by signing a slew of bills. "The free trade agreement will open the door to the American market, which is the world's largest," Lee said after signing the bills. "Let's overcome (economic difficulties) by taking advantage of the agreement." Vulnerable domestic industries should be well prepared to boost their competitiveness to survive market competition, the president added.

KARACHI: Pakistan and Turkey will finalise the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) next year to boost bilateral trade, Murat M Onart, Consul General of Turkey said on Monday. “The signing of agreement will help in boosting trade up to $2 billion between the two countries,” he said at a meeting with members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

(Reuters) - Rising trade protectionism and frustration over its domestic subsidies spell trouble for China and could lead to more friction within the World Trade Organization than Beijing has grown accustomed to over the past decade.