IMF’s Special Data Dissemination Standard
What is the SDDS?
The SDDS is a global benchmark for disseminating macroeconomic data to the public. It is a standard (i) with precise, specific requirements for coverage, periodicity, and timeliness of data; (ii) with primary focus on the dissemination of frequent and timely data; (iii) whose requirements must be satisfied by subscribers immediately; and (iv) which covers macroeconomic and financial data.
Why the SDDS?
The SDDS was established by the IMF in March 1996 to guide members that have, or that might seek, access to international capital markets in the provision of their economic and financial data to the public. Data Dissemination standards are important because they help enhance the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics, which contributes to the design and monitoring of sound macroeconomic policies and the improved functioning of financial markets. Subscription to the SDDS provides investors with up-to-date data that are frequent, timely and accessible. This facilitates the country’s access – for both public and private sectors - to international capital markets, potentially implying higher levels of foreign investment.
The four SDDS dimensions
Countries that subscribe to the SDDS agree to follow good practices in four areas or SDDS dimensions:
the coverage, periodicity, and timeliness of data;
public access to those data;
data integrity; and
data quality.
Requirements of the SDDS
The SDDS requirements are as follows:
(i) Dissemination of the National Summary Data Page (NSDP)which includes the economic and financial data of a country on a national webpage which is hyperlinked with the IMF's Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB). The NSDP is updated according to an Advance Release Calendar (ARC). (ii)Dissemination of the ARC on a national webpage to be hyperlinked with the IMF website.
(iii)Detailed information about the statistical practices, or metadata, of the 21 data categories prescribed under the SDDS for dissemination on the DSBB.
(iv)Pursuance of good practice, (as described in the IMF Data Quality Assessment Framework) with respect to integrity, methodological soundness, accuracy, reliability, serviceability and accessibility aspects of data.
Data sources and coverage
Sectors | Data category | Data source |
Real Sector | 1 | National Accounts | Statistics Mauritius |
| 2 | Production Index | Statistics Mauritius |
| 3 | Labour Market: Employment | Statistics Mauritius |
| 4 | Labour Market: Unemployment | Statistics Mauritius |
| 5 | Labour Market: Wages/Earnings | Statistics Mauritius |
| 6 | Price Index: Consumer Prices | Statistics Mauritius |
| 7 | Price Index: Producer Prices | Statistics Mauritius |
Fiscal Sector | 8 | General Government or Public Sector Operations | Statistics Mauritius |
| 9 | Central Government Operations | Ministry of Finance and Economic Development/Statistics Mauritius |
| 10 | Central Government Debt | Ministry of Finance and Economic Development |
Financial Sector | 11 | Depository Corporations Survey | Bank of Mauritius |
| 12 | Central Bank Survey | Bank of Mauritius |
| 13 | Interest Rate | Bank of Mauritius |
| 14 | Stock Market | Stock Exchange of Mauritius |
External Sector | 15 | Balance of Payment | Bank of Mauritius |
| 16 | Official Reserves Assets | Bank of Mauritius |
| 17 | Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity | Bank of Mauritius |
| 18 | Merchandise Trade | Statistics Mauritius |
| 19 | International Investment Position | Bank of Mauritius |
| 20 | External Debt | Ministry of Finance and Economic Development |
| 21 | Exchange rate | Bank of Mauritius |
Note: In addition to the above sectors, the SDDS prescribes data on population as an addendum. Statistics Mauritius disseminates data on population at least once a year and on a regular basis on the NSDP.
Annual Observance Report for Mauritius
