Examples include the Empire State building, constructed at the start of the Great Depression, and world's tallest skyscraper today, the Burj Khalifa, built just before the Dubai economy's downturn.
"Often the world's tallest buildings are simply the edifice of a broader skyscraper building boom, reflecting a widespread misallocation of capital and an impending economic correction," said the Barclays Capital Skyscraper Index.
China is currently the biggest builder of skyscrapers, according to Barclays, accounting for 53% of all the world's tall buildings.
India also has 14 skyscrapers under construction, including billionaire Mukesh Ambani's own skyscraper in Mumbai - a 27-storey residence believed to be the world's most expensive home.
Western Europe's tallest building will be London Bridge's Shard, currently under construction. It will be 1,017ft (310m) tall on completion.
The world's first skyscraper, the Equitable Life building in New York, was completed in 1873 and coincided with a five-year recession. It was demolished in 1912.
Other examples include Chicago's Willis Tower (which was formerly known as the Sears Tower) in 1974, just as there was an oil shock and the US dollar's peg to gold was abandoned.
Malaysia's Petronas Towers, built in 1997, coincided with the Asian financial crisis.
Barclays Capital's Skyscraper Index has been published every year since 1999.
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