The central banking contribution to international statistics: A Basel perspective

Abstract

A key goal of the Bank for International Settlements is to produce in-depth economic analysis drawing on its position at the intersection of research and policy, its financial markets savvy, and its unique statistical chest. Since the interwar financial crisis in the 1930s, the traditional objective of assessing international linkages has continuously guided BIS statistical offering. Important micro-level data sets have been collected to support global financial regulation in parallel. In addition, the BIS hosts the Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics, a global network of central bank statisticians, economists and policymakers who discuss statistical issues of interest to central banks and develop related methodological work. It also actively supports various global statistical initiatives, especially to close economic and financial data gaps. These activities have proved instrumental for tracking and understanding developments in international finance, as was evident again on the occasion of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, the BIS and the IFC can continue to contribute actively to the international statistical cooperation framework.