This 2012 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economic recovery in the United Arab Emirates is continuing despite the uncertain global economic environment. The banking sector has remained well capitalized and profitable, despite a continued rise in nonperforming loans and higher...

The 2012 Article IV Consultation reports that Iceland’s fiscal consolidation is continuing, but at a slower pace. Moderate expenditure overruns materialized in 2011, which will partly spill over to 2012 and the medium term. A key priority is to put the medium-term fiscal path back on...

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...

Latvia’s economy continues to recover, but the worsening global outlook is likely to hurt growth. Implementation of the program has made the economy more robust to shocks, but risks remain that could derail the recovery and the goal of euro adoption. Spillovers from the euro area crisis...

Strong fiscal stimulus in Azerbaijan continued in 2011 triggered by unanticipated increases in global oil prices. The 2011 Article IV Consultation highlights that near and medium-term economic prospects are favorable and nonhydrocarbon growth could reach 6 percent in 2012. Executive Directors...

Thailand is recovering from a challenging year marked by natural disasters of historic magnitude. This 2012 Article IV Consultation highlights that positive signs of a recovery are already under way with sharp improvements seen in high frequency indicators since December 2011. Executive...

This 2011 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economy of Trinidad and Tobago is turning the corner, and growth is expected to resume in 2012 after an extended slowdown lasting three years. Real economic activity is expected to increase by 1.7 percent in 2012 as the nonenergy sector picks...

The Spanish economy suffered an unprecedented double-dip recession with the rising unemployment and public debt situation. Spain also suffered a reversal of private external financing flows in 2011 and 2012. To counter this situation, major policy actions have been taken in the banking sector....

The discussion of global and regional imbalances has put the spotlight on the possible link between current accounts and structural policies. Drawing on standard empirical current account models, the paper finds that the commonly recommended structural factors cannot explain the widening of...

This paper examines the relationship between financial regulation and the current account in an intertemporal model of the current account where financial regulation affects the current account through liquidity constraints. Greater liquidity constraints decrease the size and persistence of the...