Toggle SlidingBar Area
TwitterFacebookYoutubeFlickrLinkedin

Corrosive and Costly Corruption

By IMFblog

July 14, 2017 

Corruption can hurt growth and ruin people’s economic chances (photo: Eugene Keebler/iStock)

Corruption can lead to pervasive distrust in government, generating violence, civil strife, and conflict. And the results are devastating for people.

Another problem is that corruption is costly—particularly for those who are already worse off. IMF research shows that in countries with greater levels of corruption, infant mortality and dropout rates are especially high, partly due to less spending on health and education. Reduced investment in these areas tends to hurt poor people the most, and contributes to higher inequality. Continue reading “Corrosive and Costly Corruption” »

By | July 14th, 2017|corruption, Economic research, Fiscal policy, Government, growth, inclusive growth, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Investment, Politics, productivity, Public debt, taxation|0 Comments
Read More

The Compact with Africa—The Contribution of the IMF

By Christine Lagarde

June 12, 2017

Versions in عربي (Arabic),  中文 (Chinese), Deutsch (German), Français (French), 日本語 (Japanese), Русский (Russian), and Español (Spanish)

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde on a visit to Nigeria in 2016 (photo: IMF staff/Steve Jaffe)

Some of the world’s top policymakers and investors are gathering in Berlin to discuss a new initiative that could help reshape Africa’s economic future.

Millions of citizens could see tangible economic benefits from the recently launched Group of Twenty advanced and emerging economies' initiative, known as the “Compact with Africa.” The goal is to boost private investment by harnessing the expertise and resources of governments, investors, and international organizations.

The Compact is about facilitating projects that can lift productivity and living standards. It is about creating fresh opportunities on a continent where 70 percent of the population is under 35 years of age.

Continue reading “The Compact with Africa—The Contribution of the IMF” »

By | June 12th, 2017|Africa, developing countries, Economic outlook, Emerging Markets, Employment, Financial markets, G-20, Global Governance, Government, growth, inclusive growth, Inequality, infrastructure, interest rates, International Monetary Fund, Investment, jobs, labor force, labor markets, productivity|0 Comments
Read More

Chart of the Week: Conflict’s Legacy for Growth

By IMFBlog

Versions in عربي (Arabic)

May 8, 2017

Conflict has been on the rise since the early 2000s given the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

 Conflict leads not only to immeasurable human costs, but also to substantial economic losses with consequences that can persist for years. The tragic rise in conflict has weighed on global GDP growth in recent years, given the increasing number of countries experiencing strife, the severe effect on economic activity, and the considerable size of some of the affected economies.

The IMF’s most recent World Economic Outlook (Box 1.1) takes a closer look through the lens of conflict’s impact on economic growth and migration.  Continue reading “Chart of the Week: Conflict’s Legacy for Growth” »

By | May 8th, 2017|corruption, developing countries, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, education, Employment, Government, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Investment, jobs, labor force, labor markets, Middle East, Migration, Politics, productivity, refugees|0 Comments
Read More

Two Things That Keep Central Banks’ Reserve Managers Awake at Night

By Veronica Bacalu, Vincent Fleuriet, and Asad Qureshi

One of the central bank’s roles is to manage a country’s international reserves. But, central bank reserve managers have been losing sleep over two main issues: low interest rates, and how best to communicate the choices they make. Continue reading “Two Things That Keep Central Banks’ Reserve Managers Awake at Night” »

By | March 29th, 2017|IMF, interest rates, Investment, Low-income countries, Uncategorized|0 Comments
Read More

OPEC’s Rebalancing Act

By Rabah Arezki and Akito Matsumoto

Versions in عربي (Arabic), Français (French), Русский (Russian), and Español (Spanish)

In November 2014, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to maintain output despite a perceived global glut of oil. The result was a steep decline in price.

Two years later, on November 30, 2016, the organization took a different tack and committed to a six-month, 1.2 million barrel a day (3.5 percent) reduction in OPEC crude oil output to 32.5 million barrels per day, effective in January 2017. The result was a small price increase and some price stability. Continue reading “OPEC’s Rebalancing Act” »

By | March 15th, 2017|Economic research, IMF, Investment, trade, Uncategorized|0 Comments
Read More

Public Spending on Health Care under IMF-Supported Programs

By Sanjeev Gupta and Baoping Shang

Versions in Français (French)

Government policies matter when it comes to public health. And when a country’s economy is suffering a severe economic crisis, the decisions become even more critical.  Over the past few decades, protecting social programs and spending on health has been a cornerstone of the IMF’s support for countries.

Continue reading “Public Spending on Health Care under IMF-Supported Programs” »

By | March 9th, 2017|concessional lending, developing countries, Economic Crisis, Economic research, Government, growth, health, IMF, Investment, LICs, Low-income countries|0 Comments
Read More

Dealing with Sovereign Debt—The IMF Perspective

By Sean Hagan, Maurice Obstfeld, and Poul M. Thomsen

Versions in Français (French), Deutsch (German); ελληνικά (Greek), and Español (Spanish)

Debt is central to the functioning of a modern economy. Firms can use it to finance investments in future productivity. Households can use it to finance lumpy purchases, such as big consumer durables, or a home. Sometimes, however, firms’ investments do not pan out or a household’s main earner loses his or her job. Countries’ legal systems generally recognize that in these cases, debtors and creditors alike—along with society at large—may be better off if there is an orderly procedure for reorganizing debts.  Continue reading “Dealing with Sovereign Debt—The IMF Perspective” »

By | February 23rd, 2017|Debt Relief, Government, IMF, interest rates, Investment, Reform, structural reforms|0 Comments
Read More

China Must Quickly Tackle its Corporate Debt Problems

By Joong Shik Kang and Wojciech S. Maliszewski

Version in 中文 (Chinese)

China urgently needs to tackle its corporate-debt problem before it becomes a major drag on growth in the world’s No. 2 economy. Corporate debt has reached very high levels and continues to grow. In our recent paper, we recommend that the government act promptly to adopt a comprehensive program that would sacrifice some economic growth in the short term while rapidly returning the economy to a sustainable growth path.

Continue reading “China Must Quickly Tackle its Corporate Debt Problems” »

By | December 16th, 2016|Debt Relief, Economic research, Financial regulation, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Public debt|0 Comments
Read More

Questioning Accepted Truths

camilla-andersen-may2015By Camilla Lund Andersen

2016 has been a year of political upheaval, as accepted truths about the power of globalization to transform lives and lift millions out of poverty are being questioned by electorates in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. No longer prepared to take experts and elites at their word, many voters appear to be rejecting the adverse consequences of globalization by casting their ballot for antiestablishment messages and candidates.

Continue reading “Questioning Accepted Truths” »

By | November 30th, 2016|Employment, Globalization, growth, IMF, income, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Investment|0 Comments
Read More
Load More Posts