With the economy already slowing due to the COVID-19 pandemic in FY2019/20, a more intense second wave has hit Myanmar hard, inflicting large economic and social costs and straining the frail healthcare system. The needed strict lockdown measures have hurt manufacturing and spending further,...

This 2019 Article IV Consultation focuses on Myanmar's near- and medium-term challenges and policy priorities and was prepared before COVID-19 became a global pandemic and resulted in unprecedented strains in global trade, commodity and financial markets. It, therefore, does not reflect the...

At the request of the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM), the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department, visited Yangon for a series of missions in 2018 and early 2019 on banking supervision. The objectives of the work were to support the CBM in the development of bank regulation and supervision,...

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to hit hard Myanmar's economy via weaker exports, tourism, remittances and domestic demand. The economic and social costs of a widespread outbreak could be large, against the backdrop of a frail healthcare system and inadequate social safety nets, as well as...

This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that Myanmar's economy grew broadly as expected in FY2015/16, at a healthy pace of 7.3 percent, despite massive floods during July-September 2015. Activity softened during the first half of FY2016/17, but is expected to recover in the second half on...

This Selected Issues paper examines the strategy and priorities for reform in Myanmar's financial sector. The IMF helped design and implement a foreign currency auction by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM), as a first step to develop foreign currency price discovery and replace a heavily...

This Technical Assistance Report presents discussions focused on the financial market's developments and monetary operations-related issues. the data collected by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) show that there already exist a significant number of uncollateralized interbank (I/B) transactions...

This 2018 Article IV Consultation highlights that Myanmar's economy is expected to gain steam albeit at a somewhat slower pace than previously envisaged but faces greater downside risks including from the crisis in Rakhine state. The country's long-term prospects remain strong, supported by a...

This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Myanmar's economy stabilized in 2016/17. The new government saw a challenging first year with lower-than-expected growth of 5.9 percent in 2016/17 mainly owing to weak agriculture production and exports, and temporary suspension of some...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes banking sector developments in Myanmar. It highlights that latent banking sector risks are surfacing, following a period of rapid credit growth and as banks adjust to updated financial regulations. Over time banks will need to enhance their credit risk...