IMF: Coronavirus pandemic could cause economic data to be less accurate

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the gathering of data for key economic indicators widely watched by policymakers and investors, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a recent blog post.

According to the blog post, the lockdown measures in many countries around the world have hindered physical visits by staff of national statistical offices, as they would not be able to physically go to stores to survey retail prices. Businesses that have to temporarily shutter also may not have the resources to respond to questionnaires about production and investment plans, the IMF added.

“Without reliable data, policymakers cannot assess how badly the pandemic is hurting people and the economy, nor can they properly monitor the recovery,” the IMF blog post read.