International Monetary Fund

Consumer price indexes (CPIs) are index numbers that measure changes in the prices of goods and services purchased or otherwise acquired by households, which households use directly, or indirectly, to satisfy their own needs and wants. In practice, most CPIs are calculated as weighted averages of the percentage price changes for a specified set, or ‘‘basket’’, of consumer products, the weights reflecting their relative importance in household consumption in some period. CPIs are widely used to index pensions and social security benefits. CPIs are also used to index other payments, such as interest payments or rents, or the prices of bonds. CPIs are also commonly used as a proxy for the general rate of inflation, even though they measure only consumer inflation. They are used by some governments or central banks to set inflation targets for purposes of monetary policy. The price data collected for CPI purposes can also be used to compile other indices, such as the price indices used to deflate household consumption expenditures in national accounts, or the purchasing power parities used to compare real levels of consumption in different countries.

The CDIS database presents detailed data on "inward" direct investment positions (i.e., direct investment into the reporting economy) cross-classified by economy of immediate investor, and data on "outward" direct investment positions (i.e., direct investment abroad by the reporting economy) cross-classified by economy of immediate investment. The CDIS database contains breakdowns of direct investment position data, including, in most instances, separate data on net equity and net debt positions, as well as tables that present "mirror" data (i.e., tables in which data from the reporting economy are shown side-by-side with the data obtained from all other counterpart reporting economies).

Global growth is forecast at 3.5 percent in 2015 and 3.8 percent in 2016, with uneven prospects across the main countries and regions of the world. The distribution of risks to near-term global growth has become more balanced relative to the October World Economic Outlook but is still tilted to the downside. The decline in oil prices could boost activity more than expected. Geopolitical tensions continue to pose threats, and risks of disruptive shifts in asset prices remain relevant. In some advanced economies, protracted low inflation or deflation also pose risks to activity. The chapter takes a region-by-region look at the recent development in the world economy and the outlook for 2015, with particular attention to notable development in countries within each region.

COFR presents data on fiscal transparency. It provides an overview of fiscal reporting, including whether fiscal data are available for all of the general government, whether the government reports a balance sheet, and whether spending and revenue are reported on a cash or accrual basis. It also derives specific indices of the coverage of public institutions, fiscal flows, and fiscal stocks.

Recent exchange rate movements have been unusually large, triggering a debate regarding their likely effects on trade. Historical experience in advanced and emerging market and developing economies suggests that exchange rate movements typically have sizable effects on export and import volumes. A 10 percent real effective depreciation in an economy’s currency is associated with a rise in real net exports of, on average, 1.5 percent of GDP, with substantial cross-country variation around this average. Although these effects fully materialize over a number of years, much of the adjustment occurs in the first year. The boost to exports associated with currency depreciation is found to be largest in countries with initial economic slack and with domestic financial systems that are operating normally. Some evidence suggests that the rise of global value chains has weakened the relationship between exchange rates and trade in intermediate products used as inputs into other economies’ exports. However, the bulk of global trade still consists of conventional trade, and there is little evidence of a general trend toward disconnect between exchange rates and total exports and imports.

The FAS is the sole source of global supply-side data on financial inclusion, encompassing internationally-comparable basic indicators of financial access and usage. From 2014, FAS also includes indicators for mobile money. In addition to providing policy makers and researchers with annual geographic and demographic data on access to basic consumer financial services worldwide, the FAS is the data source for the G-20 Basic Set of Financial Inclusion Indicators endorsed by the G-20 at the Los Cabos Summit in 2012.  The FAS database currently contains 152 time series and 47 key indicators which are grouped into two dimensions: (i) geographic outreach of financial services; and (ii) use of financial services. The database includes annual data from 2004 and metadata for the reporting jurisdictions.

The Financial Soundness Indicators (FSIs) were developed by the IMF, together with the international community, with aim of supporting analysis and assessing strengths and vulnerabilities of financial systems. The Statistics Department of the IMF, disseminates data and metadata on selected FSIs provided by participating countries. For a description of the various FSIs, as well as the consolidation basis, consolidation adjustments, and accounting rules followed, please refer to the concepts and definitions document in the document tab. Reporting countries compile FSI data using different methodologies, which may also vary for different points in time for the same country. Users are advised to consult the accompanying metadata to conduct more meaning cross-country comparisons or to assess the evolution of a given FSI for any of the countries.

The Financial Soundness Indicators (FSIs), developed by the IMF together with the international community, are aimed at supporting macroprudential analysis—the surveillance and assessment of the strengths and vulnerabilities of financial systems:FSIs include indicators of the health of entire sectors of financial institutions, but also of the counterpart corporate and household sectors, and of relevant markets.FSIs, conceived as a new area of statistics—macroprudential statistics—aims to fill the gap between macroeconomic statistics and micro-prudential data.

This dataset includes gender inequality and development indices.

Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) finds that six years after the start of the crisis, the global economic recovery continues to rely heavily on accommodative monetary policies in advanced economies. Monetary accommodation remains critical in supporting the economy by encouraging economic risk taking in the form of increased real spending by households and greater willingness to invest and hire by businesses. However, prolonged monetary ease may also encourage excessive financial risk taking.

The Historical Public Debt Database contains unbalanced panel data on Gross Domestic Product, Gross Government Debt, and Gross Government Debt-to-GDP Ratio for 187 countries. The series spans the years 1800 through 2015 although each country’s data depends on its date of independence and data availability. The database was constructed by bringing together a number of other datasets and information from original sources. For the most recent years, the data are linked to the IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) database to facilitate regular updates.

This Dataset Covering 187 countries including most low-income countries, the toolkit provides indicators on export product diversification and export product quality from 1962-2010.

The Fiscal Monitor surveys and analyzes the latest public finance developments, it updates fiscal implications of the crisis and medium-term fiscal projections, and assesses policies to put public finances on a sustainable footing. The global economy is undergoing major transformations,including a productivity slowdown, technological change, and global economic integration. This creates new demands for public policies to facilitate these transformations, while cushioning the effect on those negatively affected. Fiscal policy has a greater role to play in fostering sustainable and inclusive growth. At the same time, the high degree of uncertainty surrounding the outlook as well as stretched government balance sheets require a better understanding and management of risks. Fiscal policy therefore has the difficult task of achieving more and better in a more constrained environment.

The Government Finance Statistics  http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/gfs/manual/aboutgfs.htm

The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database contains selected macroeconomic data series from the statistical appendix of the World Economic Outlook report, which presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups and in many individual countries. The WEO is released in April and September/October each year. Use this database to find data on national accounts, inflation, unemployment rates, balance of payments, fiscal indicators, trade for countries and country groups (aggregates), and commodity prices whose data are reported by the IMF. Data are available from 1980 to the present, and projections are given for the next two years. Additionally, medium-term projections are available for selected indicators. For some countries, data are incomplete or unavailable for certain years.   Changes to the April 2017 DatabaseFrom December 2016 to January 2017, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) of Japan’s Cabinet Office released the results of the latest quinquennial benchmark year revision for the Japanese National Accounts. This comprehensive revision consisted of (i) incorporating large-scale, detailed source statistics, including the compilation of the 2011 Input-Output Tables; (ii) updating the reference year from 2005 to 2011; (iii) improving several estimation methodologies, including for measuring construction output; and (iv) updating definitions and classifications, in particular, implementing the 2008 System of National Accounts (2008 SNA). With this revision, the Japanese national accounts describe more accurately the evolution of the economy. The most significant change resulted from the implementation of the 2008 SNA. For instance, for the past three years (2013-15), the level of nominal GDP was revised upward by 5.0–6.3 percent, of which 4.3–4.8 percent was accounted for by the implementation of the 2008 SNA, including capitalization of research and development. The increase in GDP for the most recent year (2015) resulted not only from the benchmark year revision, but also from the incorporation of more detailed source statistics. Real GDP growth rates were also revised retrospectively. The mean absolute revision for the past 21 years (1995–2015) was relatively modest (0.4 percentage point), while the growth rates for the past three years were revised upward by 0.4–0.6 percentage point. The revisions of the annual rate of change of the GDP deflator were relatively limited, with a mean absolute revision of 0.1 percentage point, and do not change significantly the evolution of prices previously published for Japan.Nauru is the latest country added to the WEO data-base, expanding it to a total of 192 countries.Belarus redenominated its currency by replacing 10,000 old Belarusian rubles with 1 new Belarusian ruble. Local currency data for Belarus are expressed in the new currency starting with the April 2017 WEO database.

BOPSY Global Tables aggregates country data by major balance of payments components and by international invetment position (IIP) data for (i) Net IIP and (ii) Total Assets and Total Liabilities. Data for countries, country groups, and the world are provided. In addition to data reported by countries as shown in BOPSY, balance of payments data are provided for international organizations in BOPSY Global Tables. The BOPSY Global Tables include, in addition to reported data, data derived in a few instances indirectly from published sources.

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of the functions, or socioeconomic objectives, that government aims to achieve through various kinds of expenditure, comprising detailed classifications of general public service, defense, public order and safety, economic affairs, environment protection, housing and community services, health, recreation, culture and religion, education, and social protection services.

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of government expense, including detailed classifications of compensation of employees, use of goods and services, consumption of fixed capital, interest payable, subsidies payable, grants payable, social benefits, and other expense.

This dataset provides an overview of total financial assets and liabilities classified by the sector to which the counterparty claim belongs. The counterpart sectors include nonfinancial corporations, the central bank, deposit taking corporations, other financial corporation sectors, government sectors, international organizations, external financial corporations, external general government, and other external sectors.

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of the integrated balance sheet. In other words, changes between the opening and closing stock positions in assets and liabilities are explained through transactions, holding gains/losses, and other changes in the volume of assets and liabilities. Data on net investment in nonfinancial assets – a component of total expenditure – on its components and related stock positions are provided.

This dataset provides an overview of government operations and stock positions, as well as several derived balances. The Statement of Government Operations shows revenue and expense, with their main components, the operating balance and net lending/net borrowing, as well as financing. The Balance sheet shows stock positions in assets and liabilities, with their main components, as well as net worth and net financial worth. In addition, data on gross debt and net debt are included.

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of government revenue, including detailed classifications of taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.

This dataset provides an overview of government’s cash flows, as summarized in the Statement of Sources and Uses of Cash, for those countries compiling GFS on a noncash basis (for example, an accrual basis) and are also including a cash flow statement.

The Data Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity is an innovative single framework that integrates the concept of international reserves and foreign currency liquidity by covering data on on-balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet international financial activities of country authorities as well as supplementary information. It aims to provide a comprehensive account of official foreign currency assets and drains on such resources arising from various foreign/domestic currency liabilities and commitments of the authorities.

Re-dissemination of IMF member countries' data on international reserves and foreign currency liquidity in a common template and in a common currency (the U.S. dollar).

Re-dissemination of IMF member countries' data on international reserves and foreign currency liquidity in a common template and in a common currency (the U.S. dollar).

This dataset provides comprehensive data for investment and capital stock for the general government, private sector and public-private partnerships, across the Fund member countries.

This dataset covers only Cross-Country-Concepts - Portfolio Investment related indicators. Please visit Principal Global Indicators - Data by Indicator for other set of Principal Global Indicators. 

The Principal Global Indicators (PGI) dataset provides internationally comparable data for the Group of 20 economies (G-20) and economies with systemically important financial sectors that are not members of the G-20. The PGI facilitates the monitoring of economic and financial developments for these jurisdictions. Launched in 2009, the PGI website is hosted by the IMF and is a joint undertaking of the Inter-Agency Group of Economic and Financial Statistics (IAG).

Private fixed investment in advanced economies contracted sharply during the global financial crisis, and there has been little recovery since. Investment has generally slowed more gradually in the rest of the world. Although housing investment fell especially sharply during the crisis, business investment accounts for the bulk of the slump, and the overriding factor holding it back has been the overall weakness of economic activity. In some countries, other contributing factors include financial constraints and policy uncertainty. These findings suggest that addressing the general weakness in economic activity is crucial for restoring growth in private investment.

Global growth declined in the first half of 2015, reflecting a further slowdown in emerging markets and a weaker recovery in advanced economies. It is now projected at 3.1 percent for 2015 as a whole, slightly lower than in 2014, and 0.2 percentage point below the forecasts in the July 2015 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update. Prospects across the main countries and regions remain uneven. Relative to last year, growth in advanced economies is expected to pick up slightly, while it is projected to decline in emerging market and developing economies. With declining commodity prices, depreciating emerging market currencies, and increasing financial market volatility, downside risks to the outlook have risen, particularly for emerging market and developing economies. Global activity is projected to gather some pace in 2016. In advanced economies, the modest recovery that started in 2014 is projected to strengthen further. In emerging market and developing economies, the outlook is projected to improve: in particular, growth in countries in economic distress in 2015 (including Brazil, Russia, and some countries in Latin America and in the Middle East), while remaining weak or negative, is projected to be higher next year, more than offsetting the expected gradual slowdown in China.

This database covers the universe of systemic banking crises for the period 1970-2009, and also includes data on the resolution and fiscal and economic costs of banking crises. Note: Laeven, Luc and Fabian Valencia, 2010, Resolution of Banking Crises: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, IMF working paper 10/146.

The IMF’s World Revenue Longitudinal Data set (WoRLD) is a compilation of government tax and non-tax revenues from the IMF’s Government Finance Statistics and World Economic Outlook, and drawing on the OECD Revenue Statistics and Revenue Statistics in Latin American and the Caribbean.