Capital Flow Data – A Guide for Empirical Analysis and Real-time Tracking

Author/Editor:

Robin Koepke ; Simon Paetzold

Publication Date:

August 21, 2020

Electronic Access:

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Summary:

This paper provides an analytical overview of the most widely used capital flow datasets. The paper is written as a guide for academics who embark on empirical research projects and for policymakers who need timely information on capital flow developments to inform their decisions. We address common misconceptions about capital flow data and discuss differences between high-frequency proxies for portfolio flows. In a nowcasting “horse race” we show that high-frequency proxies have significant predictive content for portfolio flows from the balance of payments (BoP). We also construct a new dataset for academic use, consisting of monthly portfolio flows broadly consistent with BoP data.

Starting in 2023, updates to the monthly portfolio flow dataset introduced in this paper are provided as part of the OECD’s Monthly Capital Flow Dataset (De Crescenzio and Lepers 2021), available here: https://www.oecd.org/daf/inv/investment-policy/oecd-monthly-capital-flow-dataset.xlsx

Series:

Working Paper No. 2020/171

Subject:

Frequency:

regular

English

Publication Date:

August 21, 2020

ISBN/ISSN:

9781513554495/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA2020171

Pages:

47

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