Basically, this is for out-of-character trading deals and other economic things that will still be officially counted in the IC even if you don't announce them there. All trades will be public unless announced otherwise.
Link to OOC:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=337051
For the first post:
The East US is willing to trade:
-Coal
-Cotton
-Mechanical goods
-Fish
-Lumber
for:
-Oil
-Precious metals/stones
-Swiss or other European weapons