Companies in the U.S. and overseas are expecting someimprovement in global trade. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. businessesbelieve trade volumes will increase in the next six months,according to the latest HSBC global trade survey, up from the 41%who predicted an increase in trade six months earlier.

The optimism isn't limited to the United States; 64% of LatinAmerican businesses expect a pick-up in trade, as do 63% in boththe Middle East and Greater China, and 61% in India.

U.S. businesses were nervous about foreign exchange volatility,though, with 40% citing fluctuating exchange rates as the biggestbarrier to growth in the coming six months, up from the 29% whocited it as a problem six months earlier.

“That heightened optimism is very strong, not only through theU.S. data, but even in the global survey,” says William Nowicki,head of trade and supply chain for HSBC North America. “It givesyou a good sense that the economy is starting to stabilize andimprove globally.”

U.S. companies were fairly confident about being able to get thetrade financing they need; just 5% expect any decrease in theavailability of financing, while 23% expect trade financing toincrease, according to the survey. Their concerns about the risksthat trading partners will fail to pay or fail to deliver werelittle changed from six months earlier.

HSBC surveys 5,000 small and midsize companies worldwide, andNowicki says the survey results also highlight the importance ofintraregional trade. “We know very well that the U.S. and Canadaare always important trading partners, but from a globalperspective, trade between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia is aninteresting one,” he says. “I think that's one that we'll seecontinue to grow over the next several years.”