Quand l'activité bancaire n'est plus créatrice de valeur ajoutée - La problématique de l'exclusion des gains de détention dans les comptes nationaux

During the 1990's the importance of financial intermediaries in terms of GDP has nearly doubled in Switzerland. Recent structural changes have nevertheless a noteworthy consequence: a growing part of bank activities don't generate any value added. This results from the development of transactions on financial assets undertaken on own account by banks. This thriving business gives rise to holding gains, which are per definition excluded from the central framework of national accounts. The analysis of bank results may be complicated by this evolution. This document presents the central framework of national accounts and the trend in banking services. It portrays preliminary work initiated by Swiss national accounts on an international level to improve the situation.