This paper analyzes similarities and differences between the Argentine crisis and the current crisis in developed countries, with its epicenter in the United States. Most economists of the North relate the current collapse to that of the 1930s. However, I argue here that the crises undergone by...

Non-performing loans are an extremely relevant issue for central banks and for economic policy in general, as bank solvency and overall financial stability rely on the ability and willingness of borrowers to repay their debts. Based on annual information covering 1998-2005 from the credit bureau...

The study of the agro-export economic model, the economic cycles and the international monetary system of the early 20th Century throws light on the need of creating an entity to manage monetary policy. The precarious nature of the preceding monetary mechanisms is exposed to unveil the key...

The analysis of the output gap dynamics (the difference between the observed and the non-inflationary potential output) is a widely used tool for structural models employed by central banks. In such models, the output gap is a key variable to explain the dynamics of prices and wages. However,...

The BCRA publishes monthly an expectations survey (REM) that summaries the forecasts and projections of a group of economic analysts and consultants. The BCRA publishes only the mean, the median, and the standard deviation of the sample received. The logic for using these statistics is that all...

The paper investigates the use of collateral in the Argentine banking system by exploiting a rich dataset administered by the Central Bank (Central de Deudores). The study focuses on commercial loans to firms with balance sheet information available over the 2001-2005 period. The first part...