Download or read book Belgium 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Belgium written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-09-15 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Belgium was hit hard early by Covid-19, but a timely, strong, and sustained health and economic policy response helped cushion impacts. A coalition government took office in October 2020, giving greater policy clarity and rightly prioritizing the Covid-19 crisis. A highly-effective vaccine rollout has facilitated reopening and recovery.

Download or read book Belgium written by International Monetary Fund. European Dept. and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2023-12-08 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Supported by strong and timely policy response, the Belgium economy and its financial sector showed resilience in withstanding a series of shocks in the past three years. Still, as in most euro area countries, growth is slowing, and core inflation remains high. Furthermore, the pandemic and energy crisis increased already-high public debt and structural fiscal deficits. Meanwhile, an aging population and the climate transition are putting pressure on public finances while low productivity and labor participation are dampening potential growth.

Download or read book Luxembourg 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Luxembourg written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The economic impact of the pandemic has been much milder than initially foreseen, still the outlook remains challenging. The economy, dominated by financial services, adapted quickly to telework and benefited from unprecedented policy support, both domestically and globally. Uncertainty is unusually high, dominated by the virus dynamics in the short term, with downside risks relating to a sharp rise in global risk premia, deglobalization trends, and changes in international taxation.

Download or read book Taming the Cycles of Finance written by Matthias Thiemann and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2024-01-31 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Macroprudential regulation is a set of economic and policy tools that aim to mitigate risk in the financial and banking systems. It was largely developed in response to the financial crisis of 2007-08, turning central banks into de facto financial policemen. Taming the Cycles of Finance traces the post-crisis rise of macroprudential regulation and argues that, despite its original aims, it typically supports finance in times of crisis but fails to curb it in times of booms. Investigating how different macroprudential frameworks developed in the UK, the USA and the Eurozone, the book explains how central bank economists went about building early warning systems to identify fragilities in the financial system. It then shows how administrative and political constraints limited the effects of this shift, as central banks were wary of intervening in a discretionary manner and policymakers were opposed to measures to limit credit growth.

Download or read book Belgium written by International Monetary Fund. European Dept. and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2018-03-08 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 2018 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economic recovery in Belgium is gaining momentum, with real GDP growth expected to approach 2 percent in 2018 after an estimated 1.7 percent in 2017. It is driven by strong investment and solid consumption growth, and supported by favorable financial conditions as well as a strengthening recovery throughout Europe. Employment growth has picked up, thanks in part to past reform efforts. The fiscal position has improved, reflecting a mix of cyclical, structural, and one-off factors. The medium-term outlook, however, remains subdued in the absence of further structural reforms to raise potential growth, and subject to both external and domestic risks.

Download or read book Bolivia 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Bolivia written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-08-04 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the October 2020 election, the new administration moved to tackle the devastating human and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy shows signs of recovery from its 8.8 percent contraction in 2020. However, fiscal imbalances have increased and international reserves continue to fall. On February 12, Bolivia repurchased the 240.1 million SDR purchase under the Fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument (that was approved by the Fund’s Executive Board in April 2020).

Download or read book Belgium written by International Monetary Fund. European Dept. and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2023-12-08 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Belgium: Selected Issues

Download or read book Belgium written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2023-03-02 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Post-pandemic recovery slowed with spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine and high inflation, financial conditions tightening, and elevated uncertainty. In response to the spike of energy prices, the federal and regional authorities provided timely and substantial support to households and firms. Along with automatic indexation of wages and benefits, energy support helped cushion impacts, although at significant cost, increasing the fiscal deficit in 2022 and 2023. The labor market has remained tight, with record-high job creation and low unemployment. The external current account swung to a large deficit in 2022, due largely to higher energy imports and lower vaccine exports. Energy consumption is being cut, and gas imports reoriented. A resilient financial sector is facing challenges from the weaker macro-financial environment.

Download or read book The Fiscal Cost of Aging in Belgium written by Mr. Jean-Jacques Hallaert and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2023-12-19 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Belgium faces a fiscal consolidation challenge at a time when the fiscal cost of aging—primarily related to pension and health outlays—is mounting. Pension spending will increase relatively fast unless a combination of measures related to pension generosity and retirement eligibility are put in place. Potential efficiency gains are large in the health sector and could absorb part of the fiscal and reorganization costs related to an aging population.

Download or read book Belgium Selected Issues written by International Monetary Fund. European Dept. and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-09-15 with total page 59 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Selected Issues

Download or read book Republic of Congo 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for the Republic of Congo written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-10-05 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The COVID-19 pandemic and oil price shocks have taken a deep toll on the Congolese economy, weighing on incomes and inequality. Debt sustainability challenges precluded Fund financial assistance during the pandemic, and the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, approved in 2019, expired in April 2021 without having completed the first review. Recently, debt sustainability has been restored owing to the authorities’ debt restructuring strategy and current and projected higher oil prices. However, the risk of debt distress remains high given liquidity risks and vulnerabilities to negative oil price shocks. The authorities are actively negotiating the resolution of pending external arrears. Until this process is concluded and the negotiations with two external creditors are finalized, debt is classified as being “in distress.”

Download or read book Panama 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Panama written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-07-30 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After over two decades of unprecedented economic expansion, Panama’s economy contracted sharply in 2020 amidst challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. As conditions rapidly deteriorated, Panama requested financial support under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) for 100 percent of quota equivalent to US$0.5 billion (SDR 0.4 billion) to address immediate balance of payments needs, which the IMF Executive Board approved on April 15, 2020. Subsequently, uncertainties magnified, and Panama requested a two-year arrangement under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) for 500 percent of quota, equivalent to US$2.7 billion (SDR 1.9 billion), as insurance against extreme external shocks, which was approved by the IMF Executive Board on January 19, 2021.

Download or read book Republic of Kazakhstan 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report Staff Statement and Statement by the Executive Director for Kazakhstan written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-04-11 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Activity returned to its pre-COVID level in 2021. Inflation remains well above the NBK’s 4–6 percent target band, and spillovers from sanctions on Russia will exacerbate price pressures and weaken economic growth in 2022. Kazakhstan benefits from strong fiscal and external buffers but risks to the outlook are elevated due to the uncertain impact on Kazakhstan of the sanctions on Russia and heightened domestic tensions since the January social unrest episode. In the medium term, non-oil growth under the baseline is expected to converge to about 4 percent. Sustainable growth will require greater economic diversification. Climate-related challenges are acute for Kazakhstan given its outsized hydrocarbon sector, high per-capita greenhouse gas emissions, and low domestic energy prices.

Download or read book Republic of Palau 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for the Republic of Palau written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-12-09 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures have severely impacted the economy. Border closure and the suspension of commercial flights curtailed tourist arrivals. Real GDP contracted by 9.7 percent in FY2020, notwithstanding policy support. The economic contraction is estimated to have deepened in FY2021, and a gradual recovery is expected in FY2022 as tourism activities resume. While Palau’s public debt remains sustainable, the economic fallout of the pandemic and the cost of the fiscal response have led to a sharp deterioration of the fiscal position and a rapid increase in public debt. The high share of concessional loans from multilateral creditors in Palau’s external debt is an important risk mitigating factor. Palau is vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.

Download or read book Japan 2022 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Japan written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-04-06 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pre-COVID-19, economic policies under “Abenomics” helped ease financial conditions, exit deflation, and raise labor market participation, but fell short on the deep reforms needed to raise productivity and achieve inclusive and sustainable growth. The Japanese economy is now recovering from the pandemic amid strong policy support that has helped to mitigate the downturn. Japan had substantially lower rates of COVID-related infections and deaths than most advanced economies.

Download or read book United Kingdom 2021 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for the United Kingdom written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-02-23 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The UK’s rapid vaccination campaign enabled it to start to reopen the economy in the Spring of 2021. With highly accommodative policies, the recovery has been faster than expected. However, capacity constraints and rising price pressures have emerged while new Covid-19 variants have raised new uncertainties. The government has allowed all initial pandemic support programs to sunset but has loosened near-term fiscal policy while specifying a back-loaded medium-term consolidation plan. With continued above-target inflation readings, the BoE made a first move to raise the policy rate in December. Macroprudential policies are returning to more standard risk settings. The near-term growth outlook remains strong, but so too are price pressures, while the financial cycle remains ahead of the economic cycle. The pandemic and Brexit have magnified structural challenges. Real GDP would remain below its pre-pandemic trend by about 2–21⁄4 percent in the medium term. Risks are considerable in the period ahead, centering on new Covid-19 waves and spillovers from tensions in Eastern Europe.

Download or read book Switzerland 2022 Article IV Consultation Press Release Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Switzerland written by International Monetary and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-06-20 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recovery was strong in 2021, but there are headwinds from the war in Ukraine. 2021 output was 1 percent higher than in 2019, but 2 percent below pre-Covid trends; unemployment is back to pre-crisis levels. Inflation has picked up (2.5 percent in April), but below other advanced economies. Strong exports/merchanting led to a higher current account surplus. Although the energy mix (nuclear, hydro) has limited exposure to Russia, exposures of commodity traders and indirect channels could be important. Growth is likely to slow to 21⁄4 percent in 2022 (3⁄4 ppt. drag from the war). Risks are to the downside (war escalation, Covid developments, real estate). Covid outlays are lower in 2022, but still large (1.2 percent of GDP). Outlays related to Ukraine are likely to be accommodated as extraordinary. The Swiss National Bank is closely monitoring inflation, seeing it returning to the 0–2 percent range this year. The authorities reactivated the sectoral CCyB for residential real estate. They are pursuing pension and labor reforms, climate initiatives, energy security, and renewed EU engagement.