"This paper reviews the evidence on the importance of finance for economic well-being, provides data on the degree of use of basic financial services by households and firms across a sample of countries, assesses the desirability of more universal access, and overviews the macroeconomic, legal,...

The World Bank undertook a study project on Vietnam s capital markets and sent a mission to Vietnam from May 15 to May 27, 2005. This report is the result of the study project. The objectives of the project were to review, analyze and evaluate the situation of Vietnam s securities markets...

Global Economic Prospects 2010: Crisis, Finance and Growth presents the World Bank's latest short-term forecasts. In addition, the report presents evidence that the financial boom played a critical role in the growth boom experienced by developing countries between 2003 and 2007, but that...

This is the twelfth in the annual series assessing major development issues. Economic growth rates among the developing countries have varied considerably. The external environment has had an adverse impact on growth, but domestic policies have been more important. Countries striving to adjust...

The world economy is emerging from the throes of a historically deep and synchronized recession provoked by the bursting of a global financial bubble. The consequences of the initial bubble and the crisis have been felt in virtually every economy, whether or not it participated directly in the...

"Security is increasingly viewed as a key condition for economic growth and development. The authors argue that the work and impact of all development partners would be enhanced if the multiple linkages between public finance, security, and development were explicitly taken into account. At the...

This report on managing government finances for growth and poverty reduction in Lesotho is centered on three areas of analysis: (i) macroeconomic and fiscal performance and prospects; (ii) inter and intra-sectoral allocation of resources; and (iii) public expenditure and financial management. A...

This document reports on a Public Financial Management and Accountability Assessment (PFMAA) for the province of Punjab. The study was commissioned jointly by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the UK Department for International Development (DfID), and the European Commission...