Anti-dumping investigations initiated in the second half of 2007 had continued its downward trend, declining by 7% to 101, compared with 109 initiated in the second half of 2006, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Secretariat announced on Wednesday.

The secretariat added that the number of new measures had also declined by 12%.

India had reported the highest number of new investigations, totalling 31, followed by the US with 24, and Korea with ten. South Africa, Australia, Canada, Egypt, Mexico and Peru had each reported one investigation.

India, Korea, Turkey and the US had all had an increase in new investigations, while Chile, China, Colombia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Chinese Taipei had all reported no new investigations during the second half of 2007.

The WTO said that China had remained the most frequent subject of new investigations with 40 directed at its exports in the second half of 2007, compared with 39 the previous year.

The machinery and equipment sector, with 23 investigations, was most frequently subject to new investigations in the second half of 2007, followed by the chemicals sector with 18 investigations, the textiles sector with 11 and base metals with ten.

Further, 13 members had applied 58 new final anti-dumping measures during the second half of the year, compared with 66 applied by 15 members in the second half of 2006.

Sixteen of these were applied by India, which was double what it applied in the second half of 2006.

The secretariat also noted that China remained the most frequent subject of new measures accounting for nearly half or 26 of the 58 applied measures.

In addition, products in the chemicals sector were the most frequent subject of new measures, accounting for 23 of the 58 applied measures.