REF works in the following areas:
- macroeconomic analysis and forecasts for industrial countries
- financial and credit markets and institutions
- microeconomic analysis and forecasts of wages, prices, and consumption patterns
- energy markets, companies, and local public utilities
- technical assistance and economic analysis for transition economies and developing countries

RESEARCH AND CONSULTING AREAS

Macroeconomic analysis and forecasts of industrial countries
Analysis and forecasts at the macro and regional level of the main variables of the real economy and the financial markets, aimed at providing the corporate clients with accurately crafted and up to date scenarios of the context in which they operate.
- Forecasts for Europe and Italy
- Country reports
- Public budget and fiscal policy
- Welfare policies
- Demand forecasts for specific sectors and markets

Financial and credit markets and institutions
The evolution of financial markets and systems, the securities industry, corporate governance issues, the reorganisation processes and the consolidation of financial markets and stock exchanges,as well as the evolution of the regulation has been regularly monitored for 15 years.
- Stock market
- Securities industry
- Internet and finance
- Banking consulting

Microeconomic analysis and forecasts of wages, prices, and consumption patterns
Techniques of analysis based on microdata permit a better understanding of macrovariables trends and shed light on the relative positioning of individual operators. Work in this field concerns the continuous improvement of the techniques and their application and adaptation to the different micro realities.
- Raw materials prices, spot and future
- Analysis of prices: wholesale and retail; breakdown by sector, area
- Wages, competition, wage policies by sector
- Commercial distribution trend
- Income distribution

Energy markets, companies, and local public services
Ref. follows the liberalisation and regulation processes from an institutional and legislative point of view . The opportunities for the companies operating in the sectors, for the customers, and for the economy in general are monitored and analysed with new analytic instruments.
- Market regulationand analysis
- Network regulation
- Energy exchange
- Tariff optimisation models
- Databases and sector analysis

Economic analysis for transition economies and developing countries
Ref. provides technical assistance for transition economies, monitors the effects of economic policy measures, prepares scenarios for major reforms and studies the aid programs in order to follow up the increasing opportunities for the new markets.
- Country analysis
- Evaluation of economic policy intervention
- Evaluation of structural reforms
- Monitoring and modelling of public finance dynamics