A country's imports reflect the value of goods and services that were purchased from another country.  It is one of the two components of a country's trade balance (exports being the other).  Imports data gives valuable insight into economic competitiveness, inflationary pressures, demand for foreign goods, and pressures on a country's currency.

Interpreting Import Data
There are several methods in which a country's import data may be interpreted. Countries that are heavy importers may place emphasis on import price indices. Changes in import prices can result in significant inflationary pressures for these countries, and they may forecast monetary policy. For a country whose economy is heavily export based, it may focus on the value of certain imports as a gauge for the competitiveness of their export sector. A higher value of imports suggests increasing competition from foreign countries.

Imports - Australia | Imports - Germany - Euro-zone

Import Price Index - United States | Import Price Index (IPI) - Japan | Import Price Index - Germany |