APIbase

Australian Trade & Balance of Payments

abs.economy.trade

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve Australia’s quarterly Balance of Payments statistics—current account balance, goods and services exports/imports, and primary income credits—in AUD millions for trade analysis.

Instructions

Retrieve Australia Balance of Payments (BOP) statistics from the ABS BOP dataset. Returns quarterly current prices or chain volume measures for key trade aggregates: current account balance, goods and services credits (exports), goods and services debits (imports), goods credits, goods debits, and primary income credits. Seasonally adjusted, trend, or original data. AUD millions. Source: ABS Cat. 5302.0, CC BY 4.0.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`items`	No	Balance of payments items to retrieve. current_account = overall current account balance (AUD millions), goods_services_credits = total exports of goods and services, goods_services_debits = total imports of goods and services, goods_credits = goods exports only, goods_debits = goods imports only, primary_income_credits = income credits (investment income received). Defaults to current_account, goods_services_credits, and goods_services_debits.
`last_n`	No	Number of most-recent quarterly observations to return (1–40). Defaults to 8 (2 years).
`measure`	No	Measurement basis. current_prices = nominal AUD millions (recommended), chain_volume = inflation-adjusted volume, implicit_price_index = price deflator index, terms_of_trade = ratio of export to import prices (available for selected items only). Defaults to current_prices.
`adjustment`	No	Statistical adjustment. seasonally_adjusted removes predictable seasonal patterns, trend is a smoothed version, original is the raw quarterly estimate. Defaults to seasonally_adjusted.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`error`	No	Present only when the call failed. Includes error code, message, request_id, and any provider-specific extras.
`result`	No	Tool response payload. Shape varies per tool — consult the tool description and inputSchema. May be an object, array, string, or number depending on the upstream provider response.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv2.2.0Oct 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful behavioral context: returns quarterly data, AUD millions, supports seasonally adjusted/trend/original, and cites the source. It doesn't mention pagination or output structure, but the output schema exists and the read-only nature is well covered.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, dense paragraph that front-loads the core purpose, then lists items, measures, adjustments, units, and source. Every sentence adds information; no filler or repetition.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the output schema exists and annotations cover safety, the description is nearly complete. It covers the data source, items, measures, adjustments, units, and defaults. It could mention that terms_of_trade is only available for selected items (the schema already notes this) and could clarify the output format, but the output schema likely covers that.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all parameters. The description adds value by explaining the measurement basis (current_prices recommended, chain_volume inflation-adjusted, terms_of_trade ratio) and clarifying item meanings (exports/imports). This goes beyond the schema's enum labels.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool retrieves Australia Balance of Payments statistics from the ABS BOP dataset, lists the specific trade aggregates, measurement bases, and adjustment options, and names the source. It distinguishes itself from sibling tools like abs.economy.gdp and abs.economy.cpi by focusing on BOP/trade data.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage context by specifying the dataset, items, measures, and adjustments, and the schema provides defaults. It doesn't explicitly state when to prefer this over alternatives like abs.economy.gdp or oecd.economy.trade, but the BOP-specific scope and parameter guidance make the intended use clear.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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