The macroeconomic stability of Sri Lanka is analyzed. Reflecting high domestic inflation relative to trading partners, the real effective exchange rate appreciated by 2 percent. Infrastructure development is a central element of the government’s medium-term development strategy. Further...

Sri Lanka’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that the fiscal deficit exceeded budget targets, and with a significant amount of government financing provided by the central bank, the growth in monetary aggregates increased, contributing to higher inflation. The near-term economic outlook is...

Since the last Article IV Consultation, the Sri Lankan economy has advanced on several fronts. However, the economic effects of the two-decade long civil conflict are yet to be overcome, and many challenges remain. Recently, heightened political uncertainty has constrained the government’s...

This Recent Economic Developments and Selected Issues paper highlights that after several years of relatively buoyant growth, Spain’s economy went into recession in late 1992 and through 1993, but recovered rapidly in 1994 and early 1995. Toward the end of 1995, there was a renewed slowdown,...

This Selected Background Issues paper examines different aspects of the social security system in Spain. The paper describes the role of this system in the process of consolidating the government finances in the short- and medium-term, and to present possible measures to address the policy...

This paper describes economic developments in Spain during the 1990s. Spain emerged from a recession in 1994, as real GDP increased by 2 percent, following a decline of 1.1 percent in 1993. The recovery was triggered by a surge in exports that started in mid-1993, in turn spurred by the sharp...

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix constructs an index of human capital for the Spanish labor force over 1977–97, and projects it over the next decade on the basis of likely demographic developments. The methodology by which the index is constructed considers both educational...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes labor market policies and unemployment dynamics in Spain. It provides a brief overview of economic developments and the institutional evolution of the Spanish labor market. The paper presents a basic model of the labor market, which is estimated for 1971–93....

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the sources of the persistence of geographical unemployment imbalances and low speed of adjustment to regional labor demand shocks in Spain. The paper argues that, under present labor market arrangements, these imbalances are unlikely to be corrected in the...

A decade of strong expansion in the Spanish economy led by a credit-fueled housing boom was hit by three major shocks. The policy response to Spain’s economic challenges has been strong and wide-ranging, helping to strengthen market confidence. A decisive implementation of the envisaged...