Chart of the WeekLow Internet Access Driving Inequality
COVID-19 and the Great Lockdown triggered a mass migration from analog to digital and highlighted that access to the Internet is crucial for socioeconomic inclusion. […]
Emerging from the Great Lockdown in Asia and Europe
By Changyong Rhee and Poul M. Thomsen
عربي, 中文, Español, Français, 日本語, Português, Русский
Several countries in Asia and Europe, where the COVID-19 outbreak appears to have peaked, are gradually reopening their economies. Without a vaccine or effective treatment, policymakers will be balancing the benefits of resuming economic activity against the potential cost of another increase in infection rates. […]
A “New Deal” for Informal Workers in Asia
By Era Dabla-Norris and Changyong Rhee
عربي, 中文, Español, Français,日本語, Português, Русский
Full or partial lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19 are having crippling effects on businesses and workers across Asia, as elsewhere. Among the most vulnerable of the workers are the ones working in part-time and temporary jobs without social insurance, and in sectors of the economy that are neither taxed, nor regulated by any form of government.
A Post-Coronavirus Recovery in Asia—Extending a “Whatever it Takes” Lifeline to Small Businesses
By Kenneth Kang and Changyong Rhee
عربي, 中文, Français, 日本語, Русский
Asia was hit hard by the first wave of the coronavirus, as the sudden stop in activity struck households and firms simultaneously—first in China, then elsewhere in Asia, and now globally. Policymakers responded swiftly with aggressive spending to support the medical response and vulnerable households and firms. And central banks took swift actions to expand liquidity.
COVID-19 Pandemic and the Asia-Pacific Region: Lowest Growth Since the 1960s
عربي, 中文, Français, 日本語, Русский
This is a crisis like no other. It is worse than the Global Financial Crisis, and Asia is not immune. While there is huge uncertainty about 2020 growth prospects, and even more so about the 2021 outlook, the impact of the coronavirus on the region will—across the board—be severe and unprecedented. […]
Blunting the Impact and Hard Choices: Early Lessons from China
This blog is part of a series providing regional analysis on the effects of the coronavirus.
By Helge Berger, Kenneth Kang, and Changyong Rhee
عربي, 中文, Español, Français, 日本語, Português, Русский
The impact of the coronavirus is having a profound and serious impact on the global economy and has sent policymakers looking for ways to respond. […]
Countries in the IMF Financial Spotlight in 2020
By IMFBlog
In 2020, the IMF plans to assess the stability of twelve financial systems. Seven assessments are of jurisdictions with systemically important financial sectors (Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong SAR, Italy, Korea, Norway, and the United States), for which it is mandatory to undergo financial stability assessments every five years. […]
Chart of the WeekWhen the Night Lights Go On in Asia
By Jiaxiong Yao
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The value of a picture taken from space is a new metric we can use to measure economic growth and activity. […]
New Index Tracks Trade Uncertainty Across the Globe
By Hites Ahir, Nicholas Bloom, and Davide Furceri
Rising trade uncertainty is cited as a driving factor for “sluggish global growth” in the current issue of the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, which describes the state of the world economy. […]
Tariff Shocks: The Role of Value Chains in Europe
By Raju Huidrom, Carlos Mulas-Granados, Laura Papi, and Emil Stavrev
The Czech Republic exports only a small number of cars and car parts directly to the United States, but it’s likely to suffer significant economic damage if that country were to impose tariffs on auto imports. […]