Japan’s position is one of the largest and richest economies in the world. Tokyo as a financial marketplace is not a major intermediator of global capital flows. The current macroeconomic environment is conducive to spillovers being larger than captured by the empirical analysis. Apart...

This paper reports on progress made on Nicaragua’s National Human Development Plan as of 2010. The operational goal for Nicaragua’s National Human Development Plan is economic growth with increased employment and reduced inequality and poverty. The results for 2007–10...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the properties of the fiscal surplus rule, a key pillar of Chile’s macroeconomic framework. The findings suggest that the rule is near the volatility-minimizing efficiency frontier. The paper assesses the vulnerability of the Chilean banking system to...

The macroeconomic environment is sound, with low inflation and a comfortable external position, although the fiscal position remains a concern for the medium term. The authorities have successfully privatized and liberalized the telecommunications, energy, and transportation sectors. Moreover,...

Strong fundamentals and countercyclical policies have helped Malaysia during the global financial crisis. Executive Directors welcomed the authorities' challenge to make progress toward economic growth and structural transformation. Directors welcomed the consolidation effort in the 2010 budget,...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that South Africa’s economic performance has strengthened in the last several years, with real GDP growing by 5–5½ percent in 2005–07, inflation declining to mid-single digits until recently, and employment growing steadily....