This policy brief takes a preliminary look at portability of social security in ASEAN, particularly old-age, retirement, and survivor benefits. Portability of social security affects key decisions of migrant workers, for example whether to retire early and where to spend their retirement—in...

In view of Asia's huge infrastructure needs, as well as the reduced demand for exports due to the ongoing global financial and economic crisis, infrastructure projects offer a way of increasing regional demand and intraregional trade. This policy brief proposes various ways to tap Asia's huge...

Asia has staged an impressive turnaround in 2009, but it is unclear whether the recovery can be self sustaining even if the United States and Europe fail to pull themselves out of the current recession. This policy brief discusses the impact of the global financial crisis on emerging Asia and...

Responding to the severe negative impact of the recent global financial crisis, many Asian economies resorted to substantial easing of macroeconomic policies. This policy brief reviews the principal policy measures implemented, examines the issues that have emerged from this extraordinary...

The implications for financial stability of lightly regulated and highly leveraged financial institutions such as hedge funds and private equity funds, together with innovative financial products such as derivatives and asset-backed securities, remain a subject of controversy, especially in the...