Final answer:
The merchandise balance is found by subtracting imports from exports, while the current account balance includes the merchandise balance as well as services, income, and transfers. The final values should be calculated and italicized in the table for clarity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to determine the merchandise balance and the current account balance, you will need to fill out a table for international trade statistics, typically involving exports and imports. In the context of a trial balance, the merchandise balance would be the result of subtracting the value of imports from the value of exports. The current account balance includes not just trade in goods but also services, income and current transfers.
To calculate the merchandise balance, you subtract the total imports from the total exports. This provides you with a positive number if you have more exports than imports (a trade surplus) or a negative number in the case of more imports than exports (a trade deficit).
The current account balance is determined similarly, but it also factors in additional items such as services and income payments and transfers besides merchandise. Sum up your columns for Exports, Imports, and Balance. The final number under Balance, after considering all components, would be the current account balance, which reflects the nation's overall economic transactions with the rest of the world.
A completed table would have the merchandise and current account balances italicized to signify their importance and as a way to easily communicate the equilibrium or level attained after the calculations have been completed.