The Selected Issues paper analyzes the health of the corporate sector, areas of vulnerability, and the effect of corporate restructuring in Japan. It reviews the deflation and associated economic problems of Japan, demonstrates the impact of fiscal policies on public debt, and estimates the...

Despite enduring one of the sharpest contractions in the EU, Estonia has been successful in its all-out efforts to join the euro area. Core prices have also begun increasing but at a moderate rate. Recent wage increases have defied not only high unemployment but also increases in vacancies and...

The Slovak Republic’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that sound macroeconomic management and a wide range of fundamental structural reforms are supporting nominal convergence with European Union norms. Real GDP growth accelerated to 6 percent in 2005, driven by an improvement in the...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Turkish economy achieved a welcome reduction of imbalances in 2012. In 2013, growth has accelerated significantly on the back of a monetary and fiscal policy stimulus. The economy is projected to expand by 3.8 percent this year, with private...

Significant progress has been made in macroeconomic stabilization under two successive SBAs but the economic recovery remains fragile. Growth is expected to remain subdued in the near term and to only gradually recover over the medium term, with risks to the outlook mostly on the downside. With...

The global financial crisis had a much more pronounced impact on South Africa relative to some other large emerging markets. The overriding economic policy challenge is to reduce unemployment and inequality through higher economic growth. Unemployment is a key policy focus; and a wage subsidy...

This 2007 Article IV Consultation highlights that boom in private consumption in Iceland was facilitated by easing household credit conditions, tax cuts, rapidly rising housing and equity wealth, and an appreciating real exchange rate. As a result, the output gap peaked at over 5 percent in...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that Suriname’s macroeconomic performance has strengthened markedly over the past decade. Since 2000, stronger policies and buoyant commodity prices, supported by political stability, have helped improve macroeconomic performance, enabling...

The staff reports for the 2013 Article IV Consultation on the Chile discuss the strong and inclusive growth over the medium term. Technocratic, rules-based, and transparent policy management; monetary policy under a floating exchange rate undertaken by a credible central bank; and prudent fiscal...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that growth in the Fijian economy increased to 2¼ percent in 2012, supported by income tax cuts, low interest rates, and the one-time payouts under the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) reform, which offset the negative impact of the severe...