This paper presents the Republic of Armenia’s report on the Observance of Standards and Codes and detailed assessment using the data quality assessment framework. Armenia exceeds Special Data Dissemination Standard requirements for both periodicity and timeliness in releases of data on...

Albania was among the first countries to participate in the General Data Dissemination System (GDDS), posting its metadata on the Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board. Its metadata have been used as a model by other countries participating in the GDDS. Recommendations to increase further...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the empirical relationship between corporate leverage—and other indicators of financial health—and investment in Israel, using dynamic panel data techniques. The results suggest that weak balance sheets may well have contributed to the investment...

This Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes data module provides an assessment of Finland’s macroeconomic statistics against the Special Data Dissemination Standard complemented by an assessment of data quality based on the IMF’s Data Quality Assessment Framework, July...

Pakistan undertook major financial sector reforms starting in the late 1980s. The effects of these reforms on the profitability and cost and revenue efficiency of the banking sector are evaluated. The revenue performance of all banks, and especially the privatized banks, improved significantly,...

Upon entry into the European Union, countries become members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), with a derogation from adopting the euro as their currency (that is, each country joining the EU commits to replace its national currency with the euro, but can choose when to request...

This Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Data Module for Iceland highlights Data Module, response by the authorities, and detailed assessments using the data quality assessment framework. Iceland’s macroeconomic statistics are generally of high quality and are adequate to...

This report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) provides an assessment of Guatemala’s macroeconomic statistics against the General Data Dissemination System complemented by an assessment of data quality based on the IMF’s Data Quality Assessment Framework. The...

This report on the Observance of Standards and Codes data module provides an assessment of Zambia’s macroeconomic statistics against the recommendations of the General Data Dissemination System (GDDS), complemented by an assessment of data quality based on the IMF’s Data Quality...

This paper documents the phenomenon of underpricing initial public offerings (IPOs) for 47 firms that went public between 2001 and 2006 in the equity markets of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The average initial abnormal returns of 290 percent exceed those found in the...