This paper examines the reasons for this, specifically focusing on regulations or market practices that can accentuate economic cycles. Although recognizing various practical limitations, new policy responses are identified that could help to mitigate procyclicality. Although economic cycles are...

This paper describes a financial system that should be adopted for the 21st century. The paper highlights that the financial crisis of 2008 has raised fundamental questions about how the financial industry is structured, managed, and regulated. The paper discusses that a well-functioning...

This paper assesses macroeconomic developments and progress in institution building during 1994-1998. The five year interim period envisaged in the peace accords has ended, and the paper takes stock of what happened in this period. The paper was prepared in the Spring of 1999 and draws on work...

Fiscal policy has a strong foundation in the multiyear program of spending cuts, tax reforms, and deficit reduction in Germany. Germany's focus on actual, rather than cyclically adjusted, fiscal goals and outcomes carries the risk of rendering fiscal policy procyclical. The recent business and...

This cross-country paper explains differences in external sector performance among four large euro area countries—France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The paper discusses that during 2001–04, the performance of the external sector differed markedly among these four largest euro area countries....

This 2012 Article IV Consultation reports that the German economy’s performance has been remarkable despite facing considerable headwinds. Several conditions are now in place in Germany for a domestic demand-led recovery. Employment creation has been robust and unemployment at 5.3 percent is...

This paper examines and compares the instruments and procedures currently employed by the central banks of France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States for implementing monetary policy in the short run. The analysis indicates that the monetary authorities of these five...

This Technical Note focuses on banking sector structure in Germany. Germany’s banking system comprises three “pillars” private commercial banks, public sector banks, and cooperative banks—distinguished by the ownership structure and business orientation. The German banking system...

This note summarizes the stress tests undertaken for the German banking system as part of the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) update. Solvency tests for the German banking system assessed medium-term vulnerabilities under two adverse macroeconomic scenarios. The tests considered a...

This 1999 Article IV Consultation highlights that the monetary conditions in Germany have eased significantly since late 1998, reflecting both policy actions and exchange rate developments. Short-term interest rates were reduced by the Bundesbank to 3 percent in December 1998 and, in the new...