The Financial Development Report measures and analyses the factors enabling the development of financial systems in a number of economies around the world. It aims to provide a comprehensive means for countries to benchmark various aspects of their financial systems and establish priorities for improvement. It is published annually so that countries can benchmark themselves and track their progress over time.
The Report presents the rankings of the Financial Development Index, developed by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the academic community, multilateral organizations and business leaders. It assembles a vast amount of data to create an assessment of the different aspects of complex financial systems, including the institutional environment, the business environment, financial stability, banks, capital markets, and overall capital availability and access.
Essay contributions elaborate on a variety of issues. In 2011, for example, the Report shared insights on:
- How the benchmarking of financial development indicators can be enhanced through a statistical approach
- Financial development in emerging economies in the wake of the financial crisis
- Possible solutions to the problems stemming from the US housing finance system
Data used in the calculation of the Index are fully annotated and clearly presented.
The Report appeals to a large audience such as policy-makers, business leaders, academics and different organizations of civil society. It aims to provide policy-makers with a balanced perspective on which aspects of their country’s financial system are most important and with the ability to empirically calibrate this view relative to other countries
