National Balance Sheet Accounts

Balance sheet of institutional unit, category

Balance sheet refers to a statement, drawn up in respect of a particular point in time, of the values of assets owned and of the liabilities owed by an institutional unit or group of units. A balance sheet may be drawn up for institutional units, institutional sectors and the total economy. A similar account is drawn up showing the stock levels of assets and liabilities originating in the total economy held by non-residents and of foreign assets and liabilities held by residents.

Institutional unit refers to an economic entity that is capable, in its own right, of owning assets, incurring liabilities, and engaging in economic activities and in transactions with other entities. There is a hierarchical relationship between institutional units and establishments. An institutional unit contains one or more entire establishment(s); an establishment belongs to one and only one institutional unit. There are two main types of units in the real world that may qualify as institutional units, namely persons or groups of persons in the form of households, and legal or social entities.

The data for this variable are reported using the following classifications and/or lists:

• Assets and liabilities of other financial corporations
• National Balance Sheet Accounts, assets
• National Balance Sheet Accounts, liabilities and net worth
• Type of balance sheet