This paper provides an empirical evaluation of external vulnerability using panel data methods for a worldwide sample of countries. Controlling for domestic conditions, the paper examines the growth volatility effects of outcome measures of trade and financial openness as well as four types of...

This paper provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the determinants of saving rates. In the context of this overview, the paper presents the main findings and contributions of the body of empirical research on saving determinants, complemented by the results of the...

This paper provides an empirical evaluation of the influence of external conditions and international integration on growth performance, using panel methods for a large cross-country data set. Controlling for domestic conditions, the paper examines the growth effects of trade and financial...

Saving rates display considerable variation across countries and over time. This paper investigates the factors behind these broad saving disparities using a large cross-country time-series data set constructed for the World Bank Saving project. The paper assesses empirically the policy and...

Inflation targeters (ITers) have been very successful in meeting their inflation targets (ITs). Industrial output sacrifice during inflation stabilization and industrial output volatility has frequently been lowered after IT adoption. ITers have consistently reduced inflation forecast errors...

This paper provides new empirical evidence on macroeconomic policies and results in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), based on recent data for the region and the world at large. Our results show that: (i) both monetary and fiscal policies are counter- (pro-) cyclical when credibility is...

The choice between maintaining or giving up the national currency is determined by putting on balance the benefits of macroeconomic flexibility derived from a floating exchange rate and an independent monetary policy, and the microeconomic benefits derived from joining a currency union or...

It is well known that a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension system lowers saving, income, and welfare of future cohorts in a one-sector economy because it entails a transfer to the first cohorts of PAYG pensioners. Is the opposite result possible in a two-sector (formal-informal production) economy?...

This paper uses a consumer theory-based systemic approach to model the demand for monetary liquid asset holdings. We implement the suggestions and caveats of aggregation theory for the estimation of a demand system for liquid assets (monies) in static, dynamic and time-varying parameters setups....

The international financial system (IFS) has undergone a series of financial crises over the past decade.This paper analyzes the shortcomings of said system (that have contributed to the crises) and, with them in mind, reviews and evaluates the IFS reform proposals for a “New International...