Nigeria undertook a Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), which included a review of the structure of Nigeria’s insurance market and the supervisory framework. The assessment was benchmarked against the Insurance Core Principles (ICPs) issued by the International Association of...

In this paper, we provide an overview of the concerns surrounding the variations in the calculation of risk-weighted assets (RWAs) across banks and jurisdictions and how this might undermine the Basel III capital adequacy framework. We discuss the key drivers behind the differences in these...

The paper discusses the stability of Brazil's financial system, which is diversified and shows sustained economic progress. Fiscal and monetary policies have been aimed to improve bank reserves, and foreign exchange intervention has been streamlined to curb volatility in the exchange market....

This paper provides an update on the significant regulatory and supervisory development in the Spanish insurance sector since 2006. The Spanish authorities have taken steps to address a number of shortcomings identified in the 2006 Financial Sector Assessment Program. Most notably, cooperation...

This paper presents assessment results for the current state of the implementation of the Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision (BCP) in Spain. It found that significant changes have occurred in Spain since the last Financial Sector Assessment Program. The most serious has been...

This paper discusses key findings of the Detailed Assessment of Observance of International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) Insurance Core Principles for the United States. Most U.S. insurers write primary insurance on U.S. risks. The U.S. market is characterized by low market...

This paper analyzes the performance of the Bulgarian private defined contribution pensions in the second and third pillars of the pension system.

This paper examines Gibraltar’s Detailed Assessment Report of the Observance of the Insurance Core Principles. Foreign establishments operating in Gibraltar are all European Union (EU)-based and therefore covered by EU directives, including the directive on freedom of establishment. A key...

In 2004, the mutual fund industry of Costa Rica experienced a massive run by investors that reduced the industry to half its size in a month. This paper explores how weaknesses in the regulatory framework played a role in the crisis and draws lessons for developing countries. The analysis of...

This paper presents a detailed assessment of the observance of the Insurance Core Principles (ICP) of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) in Spain. The IMF, for their assessment, consulted the review of a self-assessment prepared by the General Directorate of Insurance...