Indicators

The OFEX database is representative, built from reliable and in-depth data sources, and contains 55 indicators measuring the attractiveness of financial centres according to four categories.

Only indicators whose construction method is transparent, comparable between countries/cities and from reliable sources validated by experts, are used into the index (e.g. OECD, BIS, IMF, World Bank…). Priority has been given to indicators with some historical depth. A few exceptions had to be made for important indicators (notably for the digital and ESG financial sector development) that were deemed too important for attractiveness to be left aside even if not all the criteria were met.

Indicator selection was also a balance between comprehensiveness and interpretability. For example, usually when redundant or very similar indicators were identified, only one was kept. Prioritization was based on data source reliability, historical depth or indicator reliability.

The database contains historical data since 2000 and is updated on a yearly basis.

OFEX relies on indicators categorized in 4 main categories:

• Financial and economic sector development (22 indicators):  Financial market size, volumes, major actors & credit market size and economic dynamism​
• Human capital (14 indicators): Human capital availability and capacity to attract it
• Infrastructure (4 indicators): Transport and telecom infrastructure development and quality
• Business environment (15 indicators): Ease to create, develop and maintain a profitable business