The greatest puzzle today is that since the global crisis financial markets see so little risk, with asset prices rising everywhere in response to zero interest rates and quantitative easing, while companies that invest in the real economy appear see so much more risk. What can be happening?

Responsible business conduct (RBC) is an essential part of an open international investment climate. The activities of multinational enterprises often span multiple countries and many cultural, legal, and regulatory environments.

This event explored the potential contribution of the (re)insurance sector to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including: the role of the insurance sector in a climate change agreement; managing the financial risks of extreme events in a changing climate; investing in the transition to a low-carbon economy; and the role of regulators in addressing climate change risks.

This paper reviews currency-based measures (CBMs) directed at banks in 49 countries between 2005 and 2013. These measures apply a discrimination, such as less favourable treatment, on the basis of the currency of an operation, typically foreign currencies. The new data shows that CBMs have been increasingly used in the post-crisis period, including for macro-prudential purposes.

This OECD-UNEP COP21 session will explore whether the governance of institutional investments, including in particular any applicable fiduciary standards, adequately considers climate change-related risks and green finance opportunities, and whether guidelines may be needed in this area to support investment decision-making.

This review of Colombia by the OECD Working Party on Private Pensions examines Colombia’s position with respect to core principles related to pension systems.

What is blocking business investment and productivity growth? OECD Business and Finance Outlook 2016 will focus on fragmentation at all levels of the global economy: heterogeneous policies, rules, laws and industry practices that create perverse incentives and block business efficiency.

Annamaria Lusardi is the Denit Trust Chair of Economics and Accountancy at the George Washington University School of Business. Following the release of new data focused on Americans’ financial capability, she draws attention to some of the findings in the study, focusing on three areas of great importance to the personal finances of Americans: student loans, indebtedness, and financial literacy.

Certain growth-promoting policies can have negative side-effects by increasing the vulnerability of economies to financial crises. Typical examples are greater openness to financial flows or more liberalised financial markets.

Malaysia has sustained over four decades of rapid, inclusive growth, reducing its dependence on agriculture and commodity exports to become a more diversified, modern and open economy.

Paris, 8 March 2017: Taking place on International Women's Day, this OECD-hosted conference considered questions such as gender differences in financial literacy and inclusion; women working in the informal economy and the role of business: gender differences in the changing pensions landscape; empowering women to fight back against corruption and engaging men to support gender equality in the workplace.

Promoting responsible business conduct in the financial sector is vital to building a sustainable global economy. This paper will help institutional investors implement the due diligence recommendations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in order to prevent or address adverse impacts related to human and labour rights, the environment, and corruption in their investment portfolios.

Insurance is invisible yet it is everywhere. It is intimately linked to how people live their lives, grow their businesses, save and invest their incomes, anticipate what is essential to them and how they protect themselves against risk.

24 May 2017: PISA 2015 Results (Volume IV): Students’ Financial Literacy explores students’ experience with and knowledge about money and provides an overall picture of 15-year-olds’ ability to apply their accumulated knowledge and skills to real-life situations involving financial issues and decisions.

The OECD Business and Finance Scoreboard accompanies the OECD Business and Finance Outlook by providing a commented overview of selected indicators and data related to corporate performance, banking, capital markets, pensions and investments.

Globalisation has failed to create a level playing field in trade, investment and corporate behaviour, being one of the factors contributing to a backlash against openness in many countries and a decline in confidence in government institutions.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly turning to alternative sources of financing, while new bank lending is declining in a number of countries. Many SMEs remain over-reliant on bank credit, however, and the take-up of instruments other than straight debt varies greatly from one country to another, according to a new OECD report.

29 June 2018 - This keynote address focuses on the three main forces driving change in the financial sector: the growing importance of trust; the accelerating digitalisation of the economy; and the unprecedented interconnectedness of global markets. This keynote address was made by Greg Medcraft, OECD Director of Financial and Enterprise Affairs, at the Annual Conference of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.

A new OECD report, the 2018 Business and Finance Outlook, highlights a number of major risks having the potential to disrupt global economic growth. It notes that the gradual normalisation of monetary policy in an environment of growing debt will be a major test of whether the Basel III regulatory reforms have achieved their goal of ensuring safety and soundness in the financial system.

IP Addresses in Nepal decreased to 181620 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 194089 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Nepal averaged 157842.49 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 318361 IP in the first quarter of 2016 and a record low of 12331 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for NepalIP Addresses.

IP Addresses in Rwanda increased to 10599 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 10257 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Rwanda averaged 5467.64 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 10599 IP in the first quarter of 2017 and a record low of 2738 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for RwandaIP Addresses.

Rwanda scored 52.82 points out of 100 on the 2018 Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Competitiveness Index in Rwanda averaged 19.84 Points from 2011 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 52.82 Points in 2019 and a record low of 3.99 Points in 2011. The most recent 2018 edition of Global Competitiveness Report assesses 140 economies. The report is made up of 98 variables, from a combination of data from international organizations as well as from the World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey. The variables are organized into twelve pillars with the most important including: institutions; infrastructure; ICT adoption; macroeconomic stability; health; skills; product market; labour market; financial system; market size; business dynamism; and innovation capability. The GCI varies between 1 and 100, higher average score means higher degree of competitiveness. With the 2018 edition, the World Economic Forum introduced a new methodology, aiming to integrate the notion of the 4th Industrial Revolution into the definition of competitiveness. It emphasizes the role of human capital, innovation, resilience and agility, as not only drivers but also defining features of economic success in the 4th Industrial Revolution. This page provides the latest reported value for - Rwanda Competitiveness Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Rwanda is the 100 most competitive nation in the world out of 140 countries ranked in the 2018 edition of the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Competitiveness Rank in Rwanda averaged 79.33 from 2011 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 108 in 2018 and a record low of 58 in 2016. The most recent 2018 edition of Global Competitiveness Report assesses 140 economies. In 2018, the World Economic Forum introduced a new methodology emphasizing the role of human capital, innovation, resilience and agility, as not only drivers but also defining features of economic success in the 4th Industrial Revolution. As a result, the GCI scale changed to 1 to 100 from 1 to 7, with higher average score meaning higher degree of competitiveness. The report is made up of 98 variables organized into twelve pillars with the most important including: institutions; infrastructure; ICT adoption; macroeconomic stability; health; skills; product market; labour market; financial system; market size; business dynamism; and innovation capability. This page provides the latest reported value for - Rwanda Competitiveness Rank - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

This report provides, for the Flemish community of Belgium, an independent analysis of major issues facing the educational evaluation and assessment framework, current policy initiatives, and possible future approaches.

The global crisis led to a smaller increase in the unemployment rate than in most other OECD countries as employment has been sustained through intensive use of reduced working time schemes.

Fighting foreign bribery is not a priority in Belgium. Together with the flagrant lack of resources for Belgian law enforcement authorities, this has resulted in very few foreign bribery investigations and prosecutions. In the 14 years since the entry into force of the foreign bribery offence in Belgium, only one case of bribery of foreign public officials has been concluded.

Brunei is ranked 66 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Brunei deteriorated to 66 in 2019 from 55 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Brunei averaged 79 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 105 in 2014 and a record low of 55 in 2018. The Ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operationstronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and more friendly regulations for businesses. This page includes a chart with historical data for Ease of Doing Business in Brunei.

IP Addresses in Malawi decreased to 15425 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 15502 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Malawi averaged 6929.18 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 15502 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016 and a record low of 1276 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for MalawiIP Addresses.

IP Addresses in Isle of Man increased to 33371 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 33213 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Isle of Man averaged 25218.95 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 33371 IP in the first quarter of 2017 and a record low of 11821 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for Isle of ManIP Addresses.

IP Addresses in Mali increased to 12496 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 11137 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Mali averaged 11078.90 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 17117 IP in the second quarter of 2014 and a record low of 3781 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for MaliIP Addresses.

Cyprus is ranked 54 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Cyprus improved to 54 in 2019 from 57 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Cyprus averaged 46 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 60 in 2014 and a record low of 36 in 2008. The Ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operationstronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and more friendly regulations for businesses. This page includes a chart with historical data for Ease of Doing Business in Cyprus.

The Brazilian economy has made a rapid recovery from the global economic crisis, but further reforms are necessary to boost long-term growth, spur investment and further reduce poverty, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of Brazil.

Can both less income inequality and more growth be achieved? A recent OECD study sheds new light on the link between policies that boost growth and the distribution of income.

The global economy has slowed, with key European countries entering a recession that is now impacting worldwide, the OECD said in its latest Interim Economic Assessment.Interim Economic Assessment

Restoring competitiveness is one of the key challenges to bring European economies back on a path of strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Europe could improve its growth prospects by implementing a strategic reform agenda with a broad range of policy reforms to increase productivity, dynamism and employment.

This paper discusses how to improve Canada’s business innovation in order to boost labour productivity and output growth. Many general framework conditions are highly favourable to business risk taking and innovation, including macro stability, openness, strong human capital, low corporate tax rates, low barriers to firm entry and flexible labour markets.

The global crisis led to a smaller increase in the unemployment rate than in most other OECD countries as employment has been sustained through intensive use of reduced working time schemes.

The Netherlands has strongly benefited from globalisation, which boosted international trade, cross-border investment and economic growth over the latest decades.

Although job creation has improved, since the end of the 2007-08 recession, the effects of the recession on the labour market remain severe.

This short paper analyses the decline of France’s trade balance over the past 15 years. While the loss in export market shares is comparable to that of the major OECD countries except Germany, it is one of the largest among the countries of the euro area.

In his speech to OECD Ambassadors, the President of Iceland discussed how Iceland could offer lessons on the nature of a clean energy economy; and presented some insights from Iceland's recent challenges in dealing with the financial crisis.

France has avoided the most severe impacts of the global economic crisis and turmoil in the euro area, but must now take action to boost competitiveness and create jobs, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of France.

This paper derives estimates of the efficiency of welfare spending in Slovenia and the other OECD countries from data envelopment analysis based on model specifications used in earlier OECD studies.

In the wake of the Great Recession, a massive monetary policy stimulus was provided in the main OECD economies. It helped to stabilise financial markets and avoid deflation. Nonetheless, GDP growth has been sluggish and in some countries lower than expected given the measures taken, and estimated economic slack remains large.

Young people have been hit hard by unemployment during the Irish recession. While much research has been undertaken to study the effects of the recession on overall labour market dynamics, little is known about the specific effects on youth unemployment and the associated challenges.

Improving France’s competitiveness is essential to boost the economic growth needed to create jobs and allow citizens and businesses to develop their full potential, according to a new OECD report.

Greece has made impressive headway in consolidating its public finances and undertaking key structural reforms to boost productivity and enhance competitiveness.

Extreme volatility during the global financial crisis complicated economic forecasting, leading to large errors that underline the need for better modelling methods and new approaches for making and presenting projections.

After five years of work at every level to correct the fiscal, financial and external imbalances that led to the crisis, and to reinforce fiscal and financial institutions, the Euro Area is beginning to show signs of recovery. But, despite these positive signs, growth is still weak and uneven.

Despite the harsh external economic environment, Germany has managed to reduce unemployment significantly while buttressing the long-term sustainability of its public finances. Drawing on the expertise and experience of OECD member countries, this report sets out key policy priorities to boost productivity growth and social inclusion.