Systemic Requirements for Monetary Stability in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union


Book Description

The primary function of banks during economic transformation is seen to be provision of an efficient payments mechanism. The lack of banking skills, particularly in credit allocation, is seen as the major problem in stable monetary systems. This is a problem which can be expected to last many years. The solution is to limit banks to very safe assets (initially central bank liabilities). Combining such safe banks with a monetary rule would provide stable monetary systems during transition.




Income, Inequality, and Poverty During the Transition from Planned to Market Economy


Book Description

World Bank Technical Paper No. 394. Joint Forest Management (JFM) has emerged as an important intervention in the management of Indias forest resources. This report sets out an analytical method for examining the costs and benefits of JFM arrangements. Two pilot case studies in which the method was used demonstrate interesting outcomes regarding incentives for various groups to participate. The main objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the incentives for communities to participate in JFM.




IMF Staff papers


Book Description

This paper provides a critical survey of the literature on politico-institutional determinants of the government budget. We organize our discussion around two questions: Why did certain OECD countries, but not others, accumulate large public debts? Why did these fiscal imbalances appear in the last twenty years rather than sooner? We begin by discussing the “tax smoothing” model and conclude that this approach alone cannot provide complete answers to these questions. We then proceed to a discussion of political economy models, which we organize into six groups: (1) models based upon opportunistic policy makers and naive voters with “fiscal illusion”; (2) models of intergenerational redistributions; (3) models of debt as a strategic variable, linking the current government with the next one; (4) models of coalition governments; (5) models of geographically dispersed interests; and (6) models emphasizing the effects of budgetary institutions. We conclude by briefly discussing policy implications.




Working Paper Summaries (WP/94/1 - WP/94/76)


Book Description

The IMF Working Papers series is designed to make IMF staff research available to a wide audience. Almost 300 Working Papers are released each year, covering a wide range of theoretical and analytical topics, including balance of payments, monetary and fiscal issues, global liquidity, and national and international economic developments.




Capital Flows and the Emerging Economies


Book Description

The 1990s witnessed several acute currency crises among developing nations that invariably spread to other nearby at-risk countries. These episodes—in Mexico, Thailand, South Korea, Russia, and Brazil—were all exacerbated by speculative foreign investments and high-volume movements of capital in and out of those countries. Insufficient domestic controls and a sluggish international response further undermined these economies, as well as the credibility of external oversight agencies like the International Monetary Fund. This timely volume examines the correlation between volatile capital mobility, currency instability, and the threat of regional contagion, focusing particular attention on the emergent economies of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Together these studies offer a new understanding of the empirical relationship between capital flows, international trade, and economic performance, and also afford key insights into realms of major policy concern.




Research Activities of the IMF, January 1991-December 1998


Book Description

A selective index of major research papers prepared by IMF staff in 1991-98.




Global Financial Stability Report, April 2016


Book Description

The current Global Financial Stability Report (April 2016) finds that global financial stability risks have risen since the last report in October 2015. The new report finds that the outlook has deteriorated in advanced economies because of heightened uncertainty and setbacks to growth and confidence, while declines in oil and commodity prices and slower growth have kept risks elevated in emerging markets. These developments have tightened financial conditions, reduced risk appetite, raised credit risks, and stymied balance sheet repair. A broad-based policy response is needed to secure financial stability. Advanced economies must deal with crisis legacy issues, emerging markets need to bolster their resilience to global headwinds, and the resilience of market liquidity should be enhanced. The report also examines financial spillovers from emerging market economies and finds that they have risen substantially. This implies that when assessing macro-financial conditions, policymakers may need to increasingly take into account economic developments in emerging market economies. Finally, the report assesses changes in the systemic importance of insurers, finding that across advanced economies the contribution of life insurers to systemic risk has increased in recent years. The results suggest that supervisors and regulators should take a more macroprudential approach to the sector.




Changes in the Russian Banking System


Book Description

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: This dissertation analyses the structural changes in the Russian banking system and gives insights into the current market situation. Starting with a review of theoretical aspects of banking in Western economies and the rationale for the existence of banks, the deficiencies of the former socialist banking system are exposed. A large section is dedicated to the special role of the banking system during the process of transition and to an evaluation of how far Russian banks rise to the challenges of these tasks. The historical process of reforming the central and commercial banking system is described, laying emphasis on the legislative changes and the means of supervision. The banking system in Russia has been dominated by rapid growth in the last three years due to high profit expectations. However, many banks granted credits to dubious industrial companies and now face a large amount of uncollectable assets in their credit portfolios. The analysis shows that with rising positive real interest rates and growing competition in the banking market, a large number of small and mediumsized banks will either have to admit bankruptcy or be acquired by expanding banks. The emerging interbank, bond and equity markets are illustrated with regard to the influence of banks. The deficiencies in settlement processes, liquidity, trading rules, and private and commercial law are examined. The next urgently required steps in the reform process are listed. The future progress of the Russian banking system however, is not only dependent on legal and structural changes in related financial and capital markets, but based on the critical assumption of peaceful, politically stable and socially balanced developments in Russia. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: AbstractIV 1.Introduction1 2.Theoretical Aspects of Banking 2.1Theory of Financial Intermidiation3 2.2Thr, Banking System in a Centrally Planned Economy7 2.3The Role of Banks in Russia's Transition to a Market Economy9 3.The Banking Refomis in Russia 3.1Russian Banking Legislation18 3.1.1The Independence of the Central Bank19 3.1.2The Commercial Banking Legislation23 3.2Russian Banking Supervision24 3.2.1The Licensing Process25 3.2.2Creditor Protection and Assessment of Reliability29 3.2.3Accounting and Audit33 4.The Financial Market Situation in Russia 4.1Russian Commercial Banks36 4.1.1The -Former Specialised Banks36 4.1.2The Ministerial Bank38 4.1.3Independent [...]




The American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies for 1994


Book Description

This text provides a source of citations to North American scholarships relating specifically to the area of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It indexes fields of scholarship such as the humanities, arts, technology and life sciences and all kinds of scholarship such as PhDs.