Index Measured Capitalism Across 161 Global Markets
The 2026 Global Capitalism Index provides operators a baseline for assessing institutional and regulatory stability in foreign markets.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Economic Indicators
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The Darden School of Business and Karsh Institute of Democracy released the 2026 Global Capitalism Index, which evaluates market conditions across 161 countries. This resource uses 213 standardized datasets to rank economies on factors including property rights and labor market openness.
Why it matters
The index offers a quantitative look at institutional and governance mechanisms that underpin reliable business operations, helping companies evaluate risk in new or existing international territories. It highlights significant disparities in market health, with many African economies scoring below 50 out of 100.
The 2026 Global Capitalism Index evaluated 161 countries using 213 datasets to establish comparative scores on a 100-point scale. Notably, 20 of the 47 African economies assessed scored below 50, contrasting with top-ranked Switzerland at 96.9.
The players
Darden School of Business
A graduate business school at the University of Virginia known for research and case-based instruction.
Karsh Institute of Democracy
A research entity focused on the study and preservation of democratic institutions.
The details
The index aggregates data into eight categories that measure how well institutional frameworks support market activity, such as market policies and labor market openness. By standardizing these disparate inputs, the index allows for cross-border comparison of the regulatory and governance environments that directly affect commercial viability. The resulting scores provide a proxy for the ease of doing business within these varied jurisdictions.
Timeline
2009: Beginning of data collection used for the index.
October 6, 2026: Publication date of the 2026 Global Capitalism Index.
Market Landscape
The 2026 Global Capitalism Index follows the precedent set by the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index by providing a standardized benchmark for assessing international markets. It deepens the scope of institutional evaluation beyond administrative efficiency into property rights and policy.
Operators looking to expand internationally should review these rankings to identify potential regulatory or property rights headwinds in specific regions. Use the 0 to 100 score as a high-level screen to prioritize due diligence in markets where institutional support remains low.
The takeaway
Institutional stability is a primary driver of long-term operational success in foreign markets. Review your existing supply chain or expansion targets against index rankings to identify which jurisdictions may require enhanced contractual protections.
Further reading
For more on how shifts in global benchmarks affect trade and investment, see Economic Indicators.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ecofin Agency.
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Do you believe moving toward more open, market-oriented policies improves a nation's long-term economic stability?
