You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
This paper describes the functions, policies, and operations of the IMF. The IMF is an independent international organization, and is a cooperative of 185 member countries, whose objective is to promote world economic stability and growth. The member countries are the shareholders of the cooperative, providing the capital of the IMF through quota subscriptions. In return, the IMF provides its members with macroeconomic policy advice, financing in times of balance-of-payments need, and technical assistance and training to improve national economic management.
This paper examines the relationship between fixed exchange rate arrangements and trade using a gravity model of international trade together with bilateral trade data from 24 countries from the Caribbean and Latin America for the period 1960-2001. The analysis indicates that a credible fixed peg has a positive impact on the value of bilateral trade. Moreover, the positive impact on trade is more pronounced with a stricter definition of the fixed peg or a longer duration of the peg. This supports the argument that the credibility of an exchange rate peg is an important element to determine bilateral trade. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that a currency union provides additional benefits.
This paper examines factors affecting saving, policy tools, and tax reform. The literature on factors affecting saving and capital formation in industrialized countries is reviewed, and measurement problems are examined. The effect on the saving rate of real rates of return, income redistribution, allocation of saving between corporations and individuals, growth of public and private pension plans, tax incentives, the bequest motive, energy prices, and inflation is considered. The limited tools available to policymakers to affect savings are discussed.
This paper reviews major issues and developments in the trade area and outlines the challenges governments face as they seek to liberalize trade in the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations and address new trade issues. In industrial countries, the reorientation of policies was most apparent in steps taken to liberalize financial markets and foreign direct investment, privatize public enterprises, and deregulate services, particularly in the transportation and communication sectors. Among developing countries, a growing number recognized the merits of outward, market-oriented policies and took steps to liberalize their trade regimes and open their economies to international competition. By and large, the increased focus on market principles in industrial countries did not carry over to trade and industrial policies or, most notable, to the agricultural sector. Despite strong growth performance in 1983–1989, little progress was made in rolling back the protective barriers that had risen during the preceding recessionary period; protection persists in agriculture and declining sectors and has spread to newer high-tech areas.
This paper explains the IMF eLibrary simplifies analysis and research with online access to the IMF’s periodicals, books, working papers and studies, and data and statistical tools. This full collection contains material dating back to 1946. It is a vital source of information for researchers, professionals, and students in economics, law, business, international affairs, environment and natural resource management, inclusion, gender and labor issues, and much more. Full access to the AREAER Online database is included with all eLibrary subscriptions. The Annual Report on Exchange Arrangements and Exchange Restrictions (AREAER) tracks the exchange and trade regimes of members of the International Monetary Fund. AREAER Online allows users to search policy components back to 1999. Users can track how policies have changed over time or compare rules and restrictions by country and region. Microsites help researchers and professionals who are less familiar with IMF content easily find the resources they need.
The 19th in a series of annuals (compiled by the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University) covers the global, regional, and local developments concerning Turkey, Israel, and 18 Arab countries during 1995. The first section reports on current issues, among them: the US and the Middle East; the Arab- Israeli peace process; Palestinian affairs; and economic and demographic issues. The second section comprises a country-by-country survey, with detailed coverage of the domestic and foreign affairs of each country. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
This paper aims to identify appropriate option contract specifications for effective central bank exchange market intervention. Option contract specifications determine the impact of options on the underlying asset or currency, and hence their actual effect on asset price or currency volatility and are therefore key to determining the effectiveness of option-based intervention. The paper reviews the experience of the systematic option-based foreign exchange market intervention of the Central Bank of Colombia and finds that its contract has only been moderately successful at abating exchange rate volatility, which is attributed here to sub-optimal contract specifications.
This Selected Issues paper provides background information and analysis on recent developments and critical issues for the Colombian economy. The study discusses the unemployment and stresses in the financial system and also focuses on fiscal issues. The following statistical data are presented in detail: national accounts at current prices and at constant prices, savings and investment, value of agricultural crops, mining production, structure of regular gasoline prices, indicators of construction activity, minimum wages, producer price index, interest rates, and so on.
This note reviews the effects of dollarization on the ability of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) to conduct monetary policy and the risks to macroeconomic stability and the banking system. Haiti's external indebtedness has been compared with that of countries eligible for debt relief under the Initiative for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs). Haiti's accession to the Caribbean Common Market and the impact of trade liberalization measures on the strategic rice sector is discussed. The causes of poverty in Haiti are also analyzed.