This country note provides information on latest trends in income inequalities as well as key findings from the 2015 OECD report "In it Together: Why less inequality benefits all".

Imports of Mineral Products CMLV in South Africa increased to 53666.82 ZAR Million in March from 34905.91 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Mineral Products CMLV in South Africa averaged 106161.67 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 256321.57 ZAR Million in December of 2014 and a record low of 10855.29 ZAR Million in January of 2016. South Africa accounts for Imports of Mineral Products using cumulative values for each year (CMLV). This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Mineral Products.

Imports of Mineral Products in South Africa increased to 18455.69 ZAR Million in March from 17631.55 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Mineral Products in South Africa averaged 16353.44 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 28460.69 ZAR Million in October of 2014 and a record low of 8604.97 ZAR Million in July of 2017. This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Mineral Products.

Imports: Machinery Mechanical & Electrical Appliances in South Africa decreased to 18160.81 ZAR Million in March from 18707.38 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports: Machinery Mechanical & Electrical Applian in South Africa averaged 21974.09 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 28234.18 ZAR Million in October of 2015 and a record low of 17037.78 ZAR Million in February of 2017. This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Machinery Mechanical & Electrical Appl.

Imports - Machinery & Mechanical Appliances (Cmlv) in South Africa increased to 58464.29 ZAR Million in March from 40305.11 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports - Machinery & Mechanical Appliances (Cmlv) in South Africa averaged 139524.15 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 281087.47 ZAR Million in December of 2019 and a record low of 20988.93 ZAR Million in January of 2017. South Africa accounts for Imports of Machinery & Mechanical Appliances using cumulative values for each year (CMLV). This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Machinery & Mechanical Appliances (cml.

The number of employed persons in Ukraine decreased to 15894.90 Thousand in the fourth quarter of 2019 from 16209.80 Thousand in the third quarter of 2019. Employed Persons in Ukraine averaged 17645.24 Thousand from 2005 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 19465.90 Thousand in the third quarter of 2008 and a record low of 15226.10 Thousand in the first quarter of 2017. This page provides - Ukraine Employed Persons- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The MNI China business sentiment index increased to 55.9 in December of 2016 from 53.1 in November. The reading pointed to the highest figure since August 2014, as output rose the most since September 2015 while Future Expectations Indicator went up to the highest in three months. "This is a positive end to a choppy year for the Chinese business environment," said Andy Wu, Senior Economist of MNI Indicators. Mni Business Sentiment in China averaged 57.59 from 2007 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 77.20 in May of 2010 and a record low of 38.70 in December of 2008. The MNI China Business Sentiment survey is a monthly poll of Chinese business executives at a mix of manufacturing and service sector companies listed on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. The survey provides the first monthly snapshot of economic and business conditions, ahead of official data and other business confidence data in China. Respondents are asked their opinion on whether a particular business activity has increased, decreased remained the same compared with the previous month as well as their expectations for three months ahead. E.g. Is Production Higher/Same/Lower compared with a month ago? A diffusion indicator is then calculated by adding the percentage share of positive responses to half the percentage of those respondents reporting no change. An indicator reading above 50 shows expansion, below 50 indicates contraction and a result of 50 means no change. Series which show a seasonal pattern are seasonally adjusted. This page provides - China Mni Business Sentiment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Mni Business Sentiment in India increased to 66 in August from 62.80 in July of 2016. Mni Business Sentiment in India averaged 62.44 from 2012 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 71.20 in September of 2014 and a record low of 47.50 in April of 2013. Mni Business Sentiment in India is reported by the MNI Deutsche Börse Group. The MNI India Business Sentiment Survey is a monthly poll of Indian business executives at a mix of manufacturing and service sector companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The survey provides the first monthly snapshot of economic and business conditions, ahead of official data in India. Respondents are asked their opinion on whether a particular business activity has increased, decreased remained the same compared with the previous month as well as their expectations for three months ahead. E.g. Is Production Higher/Same/Lower compared with a month ago? A diffusion indicator is then calculated by adding the percentage share of positive responses to half the percentage of those respondents reporting no change. An indicator reading above 50 shows expansion, below 50 indicates contraction and a result of 50 means no change. Series which show a seasonal pattern are seasonally adjusted. This page provides - India Mni Business Sentiment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

Uruguay is ranked 101 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Uruguay deteriorated to 101 in 2019 from 95 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Uruguay averaged 95.83 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 114 in 2009 and a record low of 85 in 2012. 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 Uruguay.

Government Debt in Ukraine increased to 856834047.09 UAH Thousand in March from 814644684.87 UAH Thousand in February of 2020. Government Debt in Ukraine averaged 266211105.04 UAH Thousand from 1999 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 856834047.09 UAH Thousand in March of 2020 and a record low of 14428105.68 UAH Thousand in December of 1999. This page provides - Ukraine Government Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This study models the distance-to-default (DTD) of a large sample of banks from 2004 to 2011 and examines the results from the perspective of policy approaches that aim to reduce the riskiness of banks.

London, UK. Discussions at this event focused on how to make Defined Contribution pensions work better for members, designing Defined Ambition pension plans, guarantees v. risk sharing pension deals and pensions communication and individual behaviour.

This article summarises discussions from a financial roundtable addressing concerns about structural flaws in the way banks operate and are being regulated and supervised in the wake of on-going banking sector problems involving financial fraud and banking scandals.

The bank regulator's paradox is that large, complex and interconnected banks need very little capital in the good times, but they can never have enough in an extreme crisis. Separation is required to deal with this problem, which derives mainly from counterparty risk. This paper outlines the OECD’s separation proposal and also compares it to current national approaches to separation.

The main hallmarks of the global financial crisis were too-big-to-fail institutions taking on too much risk with other people’s money: excess leverage and default pressure resulting from contagion and counterparty risk. This paper looks at whether the Basel III reforms address these issues effectively and proposes improvements to the current reform proposals.

The world economy desperately needs more productive investment: to create jobs, to increase productivity and to meet critical global goals like combating climate change. But instead of more productive investment, we are getting rising stock markets. Sadly too many policymakers and journalists don’t know the difference.

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.

The reforms to the pensions system in Mexico, especially the introduction of a system of individual defined contribution accounts, have significantly improved the system’s financial sustainability.

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.

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.

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.

16 November 2017 - The OECD Guidelines on Insurer Governance provide guidance and serve as a reference point for insurers, governmental authorities, and other relevant stakeholders in OECD and non-OECD countries. The Guidelines have been revised and expanded to reflect evolving market practices and updates to international guidance following the financial crisis.

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.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

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.

Exports to Ukraine in Turkey increased to 186.33 USD Million in March from 166.37 USD Million in February of 2020. Exports to Ukraine in Turkey averaged 121.87 USD Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 307.36 USD Million in November of 2019 and a record low of 0 USD Million in April of 2014. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Exports to Ukraine.

Imports from Ukraine in Turkey decreased to 186.80 USD Million in March from 209.93 USD Million in February of 2020. Imports from Ukraine in Turkey averaged 247.26 USD Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 417.39 USD Million in May of 2014 and a record low of 145 USD Million in August of 2018. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Imports from Ukraine.

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.

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.

Impressive productivity performance during the last decades has weakened since 2007, reflecting the 2008-09 recession but also a poor performance in important sectors, like the information and communication technology sector.

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

Britain must continue to pursue pro-growth, as well as inequality-reducing structural reforms in order to recover from the nation’s deepest recession in nearly a century, according to a new OECD report.

Instead of resorting to trade measures such as export restrictions, Chile manages its minerals sector through a combination of balanced taxation, stable investment measures, good management of tax revenue, exchange rate policy and initiatives aimed at producing a multiplier effect of economy-wide development, according to this study.

Employment has risen by more and unemployment has risen less than expected, given the path of output. Nevertheless, long-term and youth unemployment and involuntary part-time work are high. A polarised labour market risks worsening income inequality, which is high by OECD standards, despite a recent and likely temporary decline.

Income inequality in Colombia has declined since the early 2000s but remains very high by international standards. Income dispersion largely originates from the labour market, which is characterised by a still high unemployment rate, a pervasive informal sector and a wide wage dispersion reflecting a large education premium for those with higher education.

Income inequality in Colombia has declined since the early 2000s but remains very high by international standards. While most of the inequality originates from the labour market, wealth – and thus capital income – is also highly concentrated and the tax and transfer system has little redistributive impact.

Austerity programmes to restore order to public finances can add to the woes of already struggling economies, leading to more job losses and social hardship. But there are ways for governments to put their fiscal houses in order, while supporting growth and reducing income inequality at the same time.

Income inequality and relative poverty in the United States are among the highest in the OECD and have substantially increased over the past decades. These developments have been associated with a number of other worrying statistics, including low intergenerational social mobility and weak real income growth for many households.

This report presents an update of OECD policy advice in areas that are critical to China’s long-term economic performance and social development. They include food security, social safety nets, health reform, green growth, climate change and urbanisation.

Inequality has risen in the OECD area. Could policies aimed solely at growth be responsible? Can inequality undermine economic growth? New evidence suggests there is a possibility.

Over the past decade, the growth potential of the Hungarian economy has declined substantially. Trend productivity has ceased to increase, and investment has fallen to historically low levels.

A slowdown in global economic growth and a continuing rise in income inequality are projected for the coming decades, according to a new OECD study which looks beyond the crisis at what the world could look like by 2060.

Income and earning inequality has been on the rise in most of the OECD and in many emerging economies since the 1980s. This paper estimates a model of earnings inequality across OECD countries that incorporates determinants of relative demand and supply of more and less-skilled labour.

To strengthen social cohesion, a top government priority, it is essential to address the labour market roots of inequality by breaking down dualism to reduce the share of non-regular workers and to boost the employment ratio toward the government’s 70% target.

OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurría is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Catherine L. Mann as the new OECD Chief Economist. Her appointment will reinforce the OECD’s commitment to identifying and promoting better policies for better lives around the world.