Evolving discretionary practices of U.S. antidumping activity

Using data on U.S. dumping margin calculations by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC), we first document the rapid rise in U.S. dumping margins from around 15% in the early 1980s to over 60% by 2000. Second, statistical analysis finds that USDOC discretionary practices have played the major role in rising U.S. dumping margins over this period. Importantly, the evolving effect of discretionary practices is due not only to increasing use of these practices over time, but to apparent changes in implementation of these practices that mean a higher increase in the dumping margin whenever they are applied.