International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Reforming the IMF
The latest meeting of the IMF's executive board discussed key elements of the Fund's reform agenda: modernising its surveillance or economic oversight, bringing members' voting shares in line with their economic weight, developing a sustainable income…
Asia ten years on - IMF's Burton
Ten years after Asia's financial crisis it is the most dynamic region in the global economy, observed David Burton, the IMF's director for Asia and the Pacific, in a speech in Singapore.
Regulatory concerns knock Chinese shares
China's stock market closed 8.26% down on Monday 4 June as worries that the government is about to take further measures to cool the economy triggered a major sell-off.
IMF's Article IV consultation with Switzerland
The IMF on 4 June released the staff report and public information notice regarding the conclusion of its Article IV consultation with Switzerland. The Fund projected 2% growth of real GDP in 2007, down from 2.7% in 2006.
Kroszner on risks and outlook for US economy
Economic growth will in the US pick up through 2007, rising to close to potential by 2008, said Randall Kroszner, a member of the Board of Governors, at the spring meeting of the IIF in Athens, adding that the risks to the inflation outlook are primarily…
ECB's Papademos hints at rate rises
In one of the strongest hints at further rate rises for the eurozone later this year, Lucas Papademos, the Vice-President of the European Central Bank, said forecasts for economic growth in 2007 and 2008 are above the region's potential.
The benefits of the SARB's transparency
This IMF Working Paper suggests that the increased transparency of monetary policy in South Africa since the late-1990s has helped to improve the accuracy of inflation and interest rate forecasts.
New IMF Survey
The latest IMF Survey includes articles on the Fund's role in exchange rate surveillance, the conclusions of its most recent "Global Financial Stability Report", and the economic outlook for Belgium, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Japanese consumers to keep economy floating
The International Monetary Fund predicts an economic expansion in Japan of 2.3% this year, followed by 1.9% in 2008.
The Fund's changing role in Asia
In this speech, David Burton, director of the Asia & Pacific Department of the IMF, points out how the Fund's role in Asia has changed since the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998.
IMF wants Dominican CB bill passed
A delegation of the International Monetary Fund to the Dominican Republic has pushed for the country's congress to pass a bill to recapitalise the central bank with $200m.
Assessing financial soundness indicators
This paper analyses the relationship between selected macroeconomic and financial soundness indicators (FSIs) such as capital adequacy, asset quality and profitability.
Bank of Canada Review, Spring 2007
The Bank of Canada published its Review for Spring 2007 on Thursday 17 May. The Review includes the article 'Renewing the International Monetary Fund: A review of the issues'.
Europeans react to Wolfowitz departure
Following the announcement that Paul Wolfowitz, the under-fire president of the World Bank, will step down on 30 June, European government officials are calling for the Bank to rebuild its credibility.
IMF's Lipsky on debt defaults
In the speech 'Learning from experience: Debt defaults and lessons from a decade of crises' given on 10 May John Lipsky of the IMF said in the current relatively benign global environment, not many emerging market countries have needed to borrow from the…
IMF's Caruana on identifying risks & opportunities
In the speech 'Identifying risks and opportunities: A global view' given on 7 May Jaime Caruana of the IMF said debt financing is cheap by historical standards for even the riskiest of corporates.
IMF Paper: Global imbalances & financial stability
This IMF Working Paper discusses two opposing views on global imbalances: The "traditional view", which regards the imbalances as a threat to global economic and financial stability, and the "new paradigm" view.
IMF's Rato at the MIT Latin Conference
In a speech given on 27 April Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said Latin America's future is not entirely in its own hands.
IMF paper: Jordan's international reserve position
This IMF Working Paper uses several traditional measures of reserves adequacy to compare Jordan's reserve holdings with other emerging market countries.
IMF's Rato on Latin American economies
In a speech given on 2 May Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said the economies of the Americas are increasingly linked, by financial flows, by trade, and by common interests.
Dodge on Canada and free trade
In his opening statement to the House of Commons Standing Committee given on 1 May David Dodge of the Bank of Canada made similar comments to those of Ben Bernanke the same day, saying if the United States resorts to protectionist measures against major…
SBP governor says IMF unhappy over decisions
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar said in Karachi Monday 30 April that the IMF was unhappy over some of her policy decisions.
IMF paper on Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's losses
The IMF Working Paper 'Central bank quasi-fiscal losses and high inflation in Zimbabwe: A note' says Zimbabwe's failure to address continuing central bank quasi-fiscal losses has interfered with both monetary management and the independence and…
Bini Smaghi pushing IMF reform
After the recent report on reforming the IMF and criticism of it from Mervyn King, among others, European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said in an article in the FT that emerging economies should accept that the IMF needs a…