In the literature on exports and investment, most productive firms are seen to invest abroad. In the Helpman et al. (2004) model, costs of transportation play a critical role in the decision about whether to serve foreign customers by exporting, or by producing abroad. We consider the case of...

This study examines the determinants of entry into by foreign firms, using information on 515 Chinese industries at the provincial level during 1998-2001. The analysis, rooted in the new economic geography, focuses on market and supplier access within and outside the province of entry, as well...

Traditional explanations for indirect trade carried out through an entrepôt have focused on savings in transport costs and on the role of specialized agents in processing and distribution. We provide an alternative perspective based on the possibility that entrepôts may facilitate tariff...

Strong economic fundamentals helped Panama contain the adverse impact of the global economic downturn and financial turmoil. The 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that real GDP of Panama in 2008 grew by 9.2 percent. Panama’s large banking system has weathered the global financial...

This Selected Issues paper on Kenya reviews Kenya’s external stability in a context where the exchange rate has strengthened and capital inflows are playing an increasingly important role. Kenya’s external current account deficit has widened, reflecting strong import volumes as...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes Portugal’s export performance in 2006 and assesses whether it might augur a sustained recovery. The paper examines the factors underlying the recent export rebound, and searches for signs of fundamental changes in structures of the export industries...

This Selected Issues paper for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is examined. Real GDP growth accelerated to 5 percent in 2007 and 6 percent in the first half of 2008, from its historical average of about 3 percent. Increased investment, partly financed by FDI, is the main driver...

For more than a decade, growth in Germany has been subdued and uneven. This paper introduces the stylized facts pertaining to the strength in exports, the weakness in domestic demand, and the surge in the current account. It discusses the adjustment undertaken in the private sector and its...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that Egypt's economic performance since 2004 has been generally impressive, underpinned by a supportive external environment and the structural reform program that has included the liberalization of foreign trade, investment, and the exchange market....

An assessment is provided of The Gambia’s performance in meeting the requirements for reaching the completion point under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative is provided. Next, the paper reviews the status of creditor participation and presents an updated debt...