Inflows of capital to developing countries in the 1990s

Half a decade has passed since the resurgence of international capital flows to many developing countries. The recent surge in capital inflows was initially attributed to domestic developments, such as the sound policies and stronger economic performance of a handful of countries. Eventually, it became clear that the phenomenon was widespread, affecting countries with very diverse characteristics. This pattern suggested that global factors, like cyclical movements in interest rates, were especially important. This paper discusses the principal facts, developments and policies that characterize the current episode of capital inflows to Asia and Latin America.