Behind Schedule? Assessing Global Developments in the Provision of Economic Statistics

IMF Working Papers, November 7, 2025

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Introduces a novel monthly index measuring developments in the provision of official economic statistics based on publicly disclosed observance records of subscribers to the IMF Data Standards Initiatives.
Documents a notable decline in timely data releases since 2017.
Highlights persistent challenges in fiscal data dissemination, divergent trends between AEs and EMEs, and regional differences.
Notes that the overall decline mirrors other global governance trends and that public disclosure of economic data tends to get less timely for some economies during turbulent periods.
Argues that strained resources devoted to statistical services can help rationalize observed declines.
Demonstrates through empirical applications that the newly constructed indices contain predictive information for fiscal outcomes and economic downturns.
Concludes that while the Initiatives successfully promote timely release of key macroeconomic and financial data, maintaining robust data dissemination requires sustained institutional capacity and adequate resource provision, especially during periods of distress.

Timeliness of data releases has declined notably since 2017.
Fiscal data dissemination faces persistent challenges.
Trends diverge between advanced economies (AEs) and emerging market economies (EMEs).
Regional differences contribute materially to overall dynamics.
Timeliness of publicly disclosed economic data worsens for some economies during turbulent periods.
Strained resources for statistical services are a plausible rationalization for declining timeliness.

The newly constructed monthly indices are shown to contain predictive information for:
- Fiscal outcomes.
- Economic downturns.
These empirical applications support the indices’ utility for monitoring data dissemination quality and anticipating macroeconomic developments.

Sustained institutional capacity is necessary to maintain robust data dissemination.
Adequate resource provision for statistical services is especially important during periods of distress when timely information is most crucial to support resolving macroeconomic imbalances and market disequilibria.
Continued promotion of timely release of key macroeconomic and financial data via the IMF Data Standards Initiatives remains valuable.