How should possible policy reforms and projects be assessed when prices give misleading signals? Revenues and costs at market prices then give distorted measures of social gains and losses and our appraisal should use social opportunity costs, or correctly defined, shadow prices. We show how...

This paper reviews the main features of market-oriented foreign trade reforms in planned economies. It considers reform initiatives aimed at expanding enterprise autonomy and breaking up the state monopoly of foreign trade, modifying the exchange rate system, and reforming the domestic price...

This note provides a set of high-level recommendations that can guide national regulatory and supervisory responses to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and offers an overview of measures taken across jurisdictions to date. The banking sector plays a critical role in mitigating the...

The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) is a central instrument for the Fund and Bank to promote financial sector soundness in member countries. The FSAP uses quantitative analysis and qualitative tools to help identify the risks and vulnerabilities of a country's financial system,...

This paper reviews Financial Sector Regulation and Supervision for Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). The TCI has a structure for financial supervision that encompasses banking, insurance, mutual funds, investment brokers, trusts, trustees, companies’ registration, and company service providers....

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has most of the essential elements for a suitable framework for financial supervision. There is a weakness with respect to onsite supervision of banking, insurance, and securities sectors; and there is currently no regular and comprehensive examination and...

This paper focuses on key findings of the detailed assessment of observance of standards and codes in the financial sector of the Cook Islands (CI). The new legal framework in CI represents an important first step in correcting deficiencies, as they are all addressed in the new set of laws. The...

Banks will want to influence the bank regulator to favor their interests, and they typically have the means to do so. It is shown that such ""regulatory capture"" in banking does not imply ineffectual regulation; a ""captured"" regulator may impose very tight, costly prudential requirements to...

This paper presents an update to Hungary’s Financial System Stability Assessment, including a Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Insurance Regulation. The assessment reveals that financial intermediation in Hungary has continued to deepen. The expansion of bank lending at...

This Review of Financial Sector Regulation and Supervision in Labuan, Malaysia, highlights the supervisory and antimoney laundering frameworks. Labuan, an offshore financial center located in Malaysia, has all the essential elements for a suitable framework for financial supervision....