The Ifo World Economic Survey (WES) assesses since more than 20 years worldwide economic trends by polling transnational as well as national organizations worldwide on current economic developments in their respective countries. This allows for a rapid up-to-date assessment of the economic situation prevailing around the world. About 1,100 economic experts in 91 countries are regularly polled. WES is conducted in co-operation with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris and receives financial support from the European Commission.
Methodology and Evaluation Technique
The survey questionnaire focuses on qualitative information: assessments of a country’s general economic situation and expectations regarding important economic indicators. It has proved to be a useful tool since it reveals economic changes earlier than traditional business statistics. The Ifo World Economic Climate Index is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the current economic situation and economic expectations for the next six months. The surveyed experts can characterise the economic situation in their country as “good”, “satisfactorily” or “poor” and their business expectations for the next six months as “more favourable”, “unchanged” or “more unfavourable”.
The survey results are published as aggregated data. The individual replies are combined for each country without weighting. Within each country group or region, the country results are weighted according to the share of the specific country’s exports and imports in total world trade.
Ifo World Economic Climate: Latest results
Gernot Nerb
Industrial Organisation and New Technologies
Phone: +49(0)89/9224-1236 Fax: +49(0)89/907795-1236
Johanna Plenk
Business Cycle Analyses and Surveys
Phone: +49(0)89/9224-1227 Fax: +49(0)89/907795-1227
RSS