This 2011 Article IV Consultation highlights that Qatar is using its fiscal space, generated from an increase in hydrocarbon production and prices, to implement a large public spending program. Large infrastructure investments are expected to sustain strong growth of 9 percent to 10 percent in...

Recent events have shown that sovereigns, just like banks, can be subject to runs, highlighting the importance of the investor base for their liabilities. This paper proposes a methodology for compiling internationally comparable estimates of investor holdings of sovereign debt. Based on this...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that economic activity in Mexico accelerated to 3.8 percent in the first half of 2004 over the previous year. This recovery is partly attributable to strengthening U.S. industrial production, as reflected in growth in Mexican manufactured exports of...

The paper presents evidence that the contribution of differences in total factor productivity (TFP) to income differences across countries steadily increased between 1970 and 2000. We verify that our finding is neither imputable to measurement errors in input factors nor dependent on the...

This paper estimates the evolution of equilibrium real home prices in the United States and finds that despite recent declines, single-family homes remained 8 to 20 percent overvalued as of the first quarter of 2008. In the short run, the gap between actual and equilibrium prices does not exert...

Domestic and external factors combined to bring about the loss of confidence in Argentina that triggered the debt default and the crisis. Restoring confidence in legal certainty has been a major challenge for Argentina. The fiscal program is centered on maintaining tight control over primary...

This paper focuses on proposed Stand-By arrangement (SBA) for Mongolia. This proposed SBA would aim to smooth adjustment to the catastrophic terms-of-trade shock, restore health to the country’s fiscal finances, and allow for exchange rate flexibility in line with market conditions. In...

This paper quantifies the economic impact of changes in U.S. monetary policy on emerging market countries. We explore empirically how country risk, as proxied by sovereign bond spreads, is influenced by U.S. monetary policy, country-specific fundamentals, and conditions in global capital...

The staff report for the First Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility on the Republic of Armenia highlights economic developments and the macroeconomic framework. Armenia’s economy continues to perform strongly. Prudent fiscal and monetary...

The staff report for the 2004 Regional Surveillance on the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) focuses on the economic developments and near-term prospects. The fiscal position of the governments in the region has deteriorated sharply in recent years and resulted in a marked increase in...