Goaded by higher than expected economic growth in Asia and the US, world trade recovered at an increased rate in 2003 and could expand further in 2004 if the global economy continues to improve, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Releasing its assessment of international trade in 2003 and prospects for the current year in Geneva, the world trade monitoring body said that a 2.5 per cent increase in global output in 2003 spurred world trade to recover by 4.5 per cent.