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In search of lost capital: an estimation of undeclared portfolio assets

Author

Listed:
  • Valeria Pellegrini

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Enrico Tosti

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

The analyses of the international investment position and balance of payments statistics suggest that foreign assets held abroad are greatly underestimated, in particular in the sector of portfolio investments. The aim of this work is to test this hypothesis and to estimate the magnitude of under-reported assets. The approach is based on the comparison of mirror statistics on portfolio assets and liabilities, mainly using data coming from the Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) conducted by the IMF, with the addition of information derived from several international databases. For the years from 2001 to 2010 the global discrepancy is estimated to be equal to 7.3% of world GDP on average. Different criteria have been adopted to attribute the share of the estimated under-reporting, particularly significant in the case of mutual funds issued by Luxembourg and the main off-shore centres, to the main euro area countries. Results vary from 6 to 10 per cent of national GDPs. If these amounts were added to national data, statistical consistency in international statistics would improve.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Pellegrini & Enrico Tosti, 2012. "In search of lost capital: an estimation of undeclared portfolio assets," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 131, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_131_12
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    File URL: https://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/qef/2012-0131/QEF_131.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Riccardo De Bonis, 2016. "What Piketty said in Capital in the Twenty-first Century and how economists reacted," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 130, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    2. Valerio Della Corte & Stefano Federico, 2016. "Foreign holders of Italian government debt securities: new evidence," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 363, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international investment position; portfolio securities; under-reporting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements

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