Trade flows and exchange rates: Importers, exporters and products

Using highly disaggregated transaction-level trade data, we document the importance of new firmlevel trade partner relationships and the addition of new products to existing relationships in driving long-run import flows. Moreover, we find that these margins are sensitive to movements in the exchange rate. We rationalize these findings in a model of international trade with endogenous matching between heterogenous importers and exporters. Simulations of the model highlight a new channel through which exchange rate movements can affect trade - through the short-run formation of new trade relationships and the range of products traded within relationships - which can impact long-run flows.