In this paper we examine shifts in the bilateral patterns in international portfolio holdings in emerging Europe during the 2001-2008 period. In relation to the 2001-2007 pre-crisis period, we find some evidence that shifts in the geographical composition of portfolio debt liabilities reflect...

The period preceding the global financial crisis was characterized by a substantial widening of current account imbalances across the world. Since the onset of the crisis, these imbalances have contracted to a significant extent. In this paper, we analyze the ongoing process of external...

This paper has three goals. First, it seeks to explain the origins of the Irish crisis. Second, it provides an interim assessment of the Irish government?s management of the crisis. Third, it evaluates the lessons from Ireland for the macroeconomics of monetary unions.

There has been considerable bilateral variation in the pattern of portfolio capital flows during the global financial crisis: for a given destination, investors from different countries adjusted their holdings to different degrees. We show that the size of the initial bilateral holding,...

This paper provides an empirical review of the dynamics of international capital áows, with a focus on emerging Asia. Next, it outlines the various channels by which international capital flows affect domestic financial conditions in the host economies. Finally, it explores the implications for...

We examine whether the cross-country incidence and severity of the 2008-2009 global recession is systematically related to pre-crisis macroeconomic and financial factors. We find that the pre-crisis level of development, increases in the ratio of private credit to GDP, current account deficits,...

We analyse the role of fiscal policy both in the emergence and the unwinding of external imbalances. Furthermore, we probe whether there is a role for fiscal policy in the prevention of excessive external imbalances. Finally, we ask whether fiscal policy could in practice successfully fulfill...

Europe experienced substantial cross-country variation in domestic credit growth and cross-border capital flows during the pre-crisis period. We investigate the inter-relations between domestic credit growth and international capital flows over 1993-2008, with a special focus on the 2003-2008...

Pro-cyclicality in Irish fiscal policy has contributed to macroeconomic volatility over recent decades. Accordingly, this paper seeks to identify institutional mechanisms that can improve the performance of fiscal policy in macroeconomic stabilisation in Ireland. We propose a new fiscal...

We document and assess the role of small financial centers in the international financial system using a newly-assembled dataset. We present estimates of the foreign asset and liability positions for a number of the most important small financial centers, and place these into context by...