This Selected Issues paper uses a bank-level panel dataset to investigate the determinants of bank interest spreads in Azerbaijan over 2002-2013. The dealership model of Ho and Saunders is applied, supplemented by market structure and macroeconomic environment variables, to assess the extent to...

This Selected Issues paper discusses the designing and implementing of Kuwait’s fiscal policy for the medium term. Fiscal policy has a major role to play in supporting macrostability and diversification. The fiscal strategy design and implementation on a yearly basis are based on a few key...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes energy price reform in Kuwait. It emphasizes that Kuwait should take advantage of current low global energy prices to strengthen efforts to reform domestic energy prices. In the longer term, this would benefit growth by increasing efficiency in the economy and...

KEY ISSUES Context. High oil prices and increased production have enabled the government to continue to record high fiscal and external surpluses and build strong buffers. Large infrastructure investments are expected to support the growth momentum. Outlook and risks. Overall real non-oil gross...

This Selected Issues paper estimates the optimal allocation of government current spending, precautionary saving, and investment for Kuwait under uncertainty. The results show that in the face of high oil income volatility and the expected decline in oil prices, projected current spending...

Macroeconomic conditions deteriorated in 2012. Growth slowed to 2.7 percent from 5 percent in 2011. Both the external and fiscal deficits widened significantly, to 10 percent and 7.6 percent of GDP, respectively. The 2012 fiscal outcome entailed a significant slippage from the authorities’...

The first paper is on the oil boom in Azerbaijan, which presents a unique opportunity to speed up the development agenda, but at the same time poses challenges to the management of macroeconomic policy. A new fiscal framework to sustain macroeconomic stability and achieve fiscal sustainability...

This Selected Issues paper assesses the Central Bank of Armenia's (CBA) monetary policy framework. It discusses the CBA's track record with inflation targeting; describes the risk-based approach to price stability, offering insights on its potential benefits, while cautioning of likely pitfalls...

Countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAP) region and those in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with swift and stringent measures to mitigate its spread and impact but continue to face an uncertain and difficult...