Over the past decade policy makers in Latin America have adopted a number of macroprudential instruments to manage the procyclicality of bank credit dynamics to the private sector and contain systemic risk. Reserve requirements, in particular, have been actively employed. Despite their...

The Selected Issue Paper discusses the Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) balance sheet risks and policy implications. Despite increased profit allocations, SNB capital has not kept pace with its growing balance sheet. The paper also explores the empirical determinants of pressures on the Swiss...

An update on Saudi Arabia’s Financial System Stability Assessment (FSAP) is presented. Saudi Arabia has confronted the global financial crisis from a position of strength, and took decisive steps to manage the impact of the crisis. As a result, the financial system has weathered the...

Although Sweden has recovered from the financial crisis, authorities have already initiated exit measures from crisis response policies. The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) Update undertook a financial stability analysis of the banking sector, including a comprehensive stress-testing...

A technical note on the stress test of Israel’s banking, insurance, and pension sectors is presented. The Israel Financial Sector Assessment Program Update stress testing exercise comprises a comprehensive analysis of solvency and liquidity risks of key banking and insurance institutions....

This paper discusses key findings of the Detailed Assessment of Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision on Austria. Since the outbreak of the financial crisis, some Austrian credit institutions had to be nationalized as an ad hoc measure to prevent contagion effects and to...

Ireland has made progress in overcoming the economic crisis. The new coalition government’s strategy for restoring sustained growth, sound public finances, and job creation has been put forward in the context of the European Union/IMF-supported program. On this basis, the government...

This 2010 Article IV Consultation highlights that the German economy is regaining the ground lost in the crisis. Policy support, restocking, and an uptick in global demand have lifted the economy from the recession. The authorities used the available fiscal space to implement countercyclical...

Although progress has been made in strengthening the Swiss economy, systemic risks posed by large banks as well as revisions to the macroprudential framework are still in train. The authorities welcomed the too-big-to-fail (TBTF) legislation and intervention of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) on...

This article summarizes the financial performance and crisis management of the Republic of Kosovo. Kosovo’s economic condition shows stability in systematic risks, but it also has vulnerabilities. Kosovo banks are exposed to macrofinancial risks because of its open economy, but the...