Crises on external sovereign debt are typically defined as defaults. Such a definition accurately captures debt-servicing difficulties in the 1980s, a period of numerous defaults on bank loans. However, defining defaults as debt crises is problematic for the 1990s, when sovereign bond markets...

Purpose – The most popular form of Islamic finance is commonly referred to as sukuk – wholesale, asset-based capital market securities. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the general understanding of essential policy considerations in the creation and development of sukuk markets....

This paper proposes four tools to strengthen financial integration in sub-Saharan Africa. The first tool, “political commitment devices” can ensure steady progress on the road to an economic community. For instance, stronger regional institutions can monitor progress towards integration and...

This paper proposes four tools to strengthen financial integration in sub-Saharan Africa. The first tool, “political commitment devices” can ensure steady progress on the road to an economic community. For instance, stronger regional institutions can monitor progress towards integration and...

We try to assest the role of household indebtedness and housing prices in the optimal design of monetary policy rules. Even though the relevance of liquidity constraints for consumption behavior has been well documented in the empirical and theoretical literature little attention has been given...

We study optimal monetary policy in an economy where firms’ debt overhangs lead to under-investment and under-production. The magnitude of this debt-induced distortion varies over the business cycle, rising significantly during recessions. When debt is contracted in nominal terms, this...