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trade cycle

trade cycle

5.4
A pattern of rises and falls in the economy, like growth and recession
  • noun
  • /treɪd ˈsaɪkəl/
  • UK
translation icon : ciclo comercial
  • Understanding the trade cycle is essential for policymakers to manage economic stability.

Examples

  • The Austrian theory of the trade cycle provides the only explanation for these booms and busts.

    Blog text (32)
  • The work was very well received, and as a result, Hayek was invited by Lionel Robbins to deliver a series of lectures at the London School of Economics on the trade cycle.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Hayek's review, which was published in two parts, was sharply critical of Keynes's monetary theory, which, he pointed out, failed to appreciate the critical importance of monetary factors in altering the structure of production and in determining the trade cycle.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Mises also laid the foundation for the Austrian theory of the trade cycle, which correctly deduces that economic boom-bust cycles are caused by inflationary bank-credit expansion as enabled by central banks.

    Blog text (32)
  • The economy is experiencing a trade cycle, with fluctuations leading to periods of growth and recession.

  • During the trade cycle, businesses often face challenges that affect their profitability and investment decisions.

Synonyms

business cycle
vstrade cycle
  • Specialized
12 3.5

Repeated periods when an economy grows and then shrinks

is the same idea but specifies distinct stages like recession and recovery

Antonyms

363 3.1

Being steady and not likely to change

How Severe

trade cycle
  • UK
5.4
correction
  • Literature
23 6.3
stability
363 3.1

Surface Forms

trade cycle singular
trade cycles plural

Morphology

trade + cycle

The meaning 'a recurring pattern of fluctuations in economic activity' is directly derivable from combining 'trade' (buying and selling) with 'cycle' (a repeating sequence); it literally denotes a cycle relating to trade/economic activity. This compound follows a straightforward noun+noun compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Trade cycle comes from a simple image: trade means buying and selling and cycle is a circle or wheel that turns again and again. So people imagine the market rising and falling like a turning wheel, which is why the phrase means 'repeating ups and downs' in the economy.