Dissemination
Standards
Bulletin Board

Reviews of the Fund's Data Standards' Initiatives (Reviews)

Special Data Dissemination Standard Site (SDDS)
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General Data Dissemination System Site (GDDS)

Data Quality Reference Site (DQRS)

Specifications of
Real Sector Statistics

The specifications of the economic and financial data for the IMF's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) are in terms of:

Coverage:	the categories and components that are most important in shedding light on macroeconomic performance and policy. The standard identifies for each of the four sectors of the economy (i) a comprehensive statistical framework; (ii) data that permit frequent tracking of the principal measures in the framework; and (iii) other data relevant to the sector.
Periodicity:	the frequency of compilation--daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
Timeliness:	the maximum lapse of time between a reference date (or close of a reference period) and dissemination--for example, one month.

Please click here for information about the possible use of flexibility options for the data categories in this sector.

National accounts

Coverage:	The national accounts feature Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of the output of the economy. For this comprehensive statistical framework, the standard calls for GDP by major expenditure category and/or productive sector, showing nominal levels and real (price-adjusted) levels, together with associated prices (deflators or price indices). At least two of the three are required. Provision of gross national income (formerly GNP) and saving is encouraged. Classification according to the 1968 or 1993 editions of the System of National Accounts is strongly encouraged.
Periodicity:	Quarterly
Timeliness:	One quarter

Production indices

Coverage:	A single production index or a selection of production indices is called for by the standard to track GDP. The index that is relevant in a country will depend on its economic structure.
Periodicity:	Monthly (or as relevant)
Timeliness:	Six weeks (one month encouraged, or as relevant)

Forward-looking indicators

Coverage:	The standard encourages dissemination of relevant forward-looking indicators such as surveys of expectations, surveys of orders (e.g., for manufactured products), or composite indices.
Periodicity:	Monthly or quarterly
Timeliness:	One month or one quarter

Labor market

Coverage:	Employment, unemployment, and wages/earnings are called for, as relevant. The standard does not prescribe a definition for this category or its components, but encourages the use of the International Labour Office's (ILO) concepts, definitions and classifications.
Periodicity:	Quarterly
Timeliness:	One quarter

Price indices