This Selected Issues paper analyzes France's fiscal stance using a structural stochastic model. The theoretical model features a forward-looking benevolent government that needs to decide the optimal fiscal stance given the level of public debt, the cyclical position of the economy, and...

This Technical Note discusses the recommendations in the Financial Sector Assessment Program for Spain regarding determinants of bank profitability. Profitability remains higher for Spanish banks than for European peers, especially supported by relatively high net interest margins; however, some...

"Focuses on the rationale and performance of state-owned financial institutions in emerging markets, as well as on possible government policies for either privatizing or managing them"--Provided by publisher