This Detailed Assessment of the Observance of International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation for Portugal assesses the securities market. The legal and regulatory framework authorizes banks to provide investment services under a...

Singapore’s financial sector, which is dominated by the banking sector, remains robust despite a series of economic downturns and substantial asset price declines. Economic developments in the past few years have highlighted Singapore’s vulnerability to exogenous shocks, including...

This paper presents key finding of the Financial System Stability Assessment for the Republic of Korea, including Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Monetary and Financial Policy Transparency, Banking Supervision, Securities Regulation, Insurance Regulation, Corporate...

This technical note presents an update to the Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA) on Switzerland. It reveals that current domestic macroeconomic and financial sector conditions are favorable, and the main downside risks to the financial sector are external. Stress tests confirm the...

Germany has a comprehensive legislative and institutional framework for the effective supervision of the securities markets. The overall level of compliance with the IOSCO principles is high. There are significant industry concerns about the implementation costs resulting from a rapidly changing...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

The staff report on Canada’s 2009 Article IV Consultation examines economic developments and policies. Canadian banks have weathered the crisis better than major-country peers, but the credit cycle will be challenging, particularly given high household debt. Financial instability is a...

This report discusses the IMF/World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) exercise for China undertaken during June–December 2010. The assessment concluded that reforms in China have progressed well in moving toward a more commercially oriented financial system. Despite success...

This paper presents Barbados’s Financial System Stability Assessment Update as part of the Financial Sector Assessment Program Update. The domestic banking sector appears sound and profitable and continues to dominate the financial system. The financial system has benefited from the...

The Austrian authorities have been making great efforts since 2003 to enhance the quality of banking supervision and keep up-to-date with banking sector developments. Banks face a reputation risk arising from exposure to money laundering/financing of terrorism risk in both domestic and...