International Monetary Fund (IMF)
IMF’s Lagarde gives update on women’s empowerment pledges
The fund has teamed up with the UK to provide ‘gender-budgeting’ assistance to countries requesting financial management support
IMF paper calls for global co-operation on big data
Discussion note urges statistical authorities to “step up” their involvement in big data projects and develop frameworks for knowledge sharing
Swaziland central bank needs macro-prudential powers – IMF
Fund urges authorities to fast-track reform to give central bank financial stability mandate; reliance on customs union leaves economy vulnerable
Kosovo governor Hamza resigns to become finance minister
Deputy governor for financial supervision named as interim head
Fiscal stabilisation spurs growth in low fixed-asset sectors - IMF
Those with difficulty raising external funds benefit most from policy, paper argues
Book notes: Advice & Dissent: My Life in Public Service, by YV Reddy
An engaging look into the private life and career of a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and arguably one of the best central bankers of the twentieth century, YV Reddy
IMF explores Balkan female employment conundrum
Fund shows policies are needed to secure both supply and inclusion of women; quality of institutions should be improved
IMF paper explores relation between greenhouse gas emissions and GDP growth
Research studies how advanced economies are transitioning to low-emissions economic models
Malawi’s IMF programme ‘fell short’ on growth
Future IMF support will aim to foster growth and alleviate poverty in Malawi, as ECF fails to provide adequate resilience to external shocks
Tougher action needed on China debts – research body
Asean research office says corporate debt needs close monitoring, even if immediate crisis is unlikely
IMF paper explores sustainability of price rises in Colombia
House prices have increased more than 110% in real terms in major cities, but houses are just 13% overvalued
IMF’s Adrian sketches macro-financial model of term premium
Tobias Adrian outlines a new way of modelling financial cycles within a New Keynesian framework, which produces a good fit with empirical observations on the term structure
Archive – Interview: Allan Meltzer
Robert Pringle talks to Allan Meltzer, Carnegie Mellon professor and chair of the US Congress’s International Financial Institution Advisory Commission (the “Meltzer Commission”); first published in February 2003
China’s current credit trajectory is ‘dangerous’, IMF warns
Fund revises up China’s GDP growth forecast, but warns debt-fuelled growth is unsustainable
Ghanaian central bank closes two commercial banks
IMF staff called for action in February over problems at some commercial banks
IMF explores ways to reform US mortgage finance
The research questions whether the US model of homeownership through government-backed fixed rate mortgages is sustainable in an increasingly unequal society
Islamic State looted $800m in funds, says Iraqi central bank
IMF says central bank cannot avoid financing government deficit
People: IMF official appointed Bank of Ghana deputy; new communications chief for BoE
Former IMF official appointed first deputy at Bank of Ghana; BoE forecasting chief moves into new communications role; and more
Fintech has potential to lower cost of financial services – paper
BIS research highlights continued inefficiencies in current financial services system; fintech could alleviate costs but only if regulation permits it to do so
International organisations should lead the way for cyber defence – IMF paper
Working paper outlines holes in current cyber regulatory framework and urges firms to adopt reporting system to improve oversight; cyber risks should be addressed on multilateral level
IMF research explores effects of lighter rule on US banks
Republicans in Congress claim Dodd-Frank increases complexity and hampers small banks’ lending
IMF deems negative rates to have had ‘no major side effects’
IMF paper explores the impact of negative interest rates on bank behaviour, concluding the transmission to money markets and bond yields has worked well
IMF explores ways to increase profitability of Italy’s banking sector
Italian banks have operated in a low-growth environment since early 1990s; eurozone interest rates at record lows since global financial crisis
People: IMF appoints new strategy head; ECB promotes directors
IMF promotes Lagarde’s chief of staff; Finland appoints research director