The purpose of this paper is to examine the Inflation Targeting (IT) framework as it is applied in the case of Brazil since its adoption in June 1999. For this purpose we first summarize the macroeconometric model utilized by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) in its pursuit of the IT framework....

Latin America has one of the highest interest margins in the world; furthermore, credit to private sector and bank spread are negatively correlated. Brazil, in particular, has one the highest bank spreads in the world - it is even so far the highest one among the Latin American economies. Indeed,...

This paper argues that financial liberalisation as practiced recently worldwide engenders widespread financial crises precisely because of the weak foundations of its theoretical framework and poor empirical performance. Financial liberalisation is critically evaluated on both theoretical and...

This contribution investigates the channels through which the relationship between financial deepening and growth materializes. While this relationship has been extensively explored over the recent past, less attention has been paid to the channels through which the relationship comes about. In...

The purpose of this paper is to consider the policy implications of the ‘new economics’. The focus will be on financial stability as an objective of policy within a more general framework of policies. The theoretical framework upon which we base our policy conclusions is summarised to...

In the first three years of its (virtual) existence, the euro has seen a general decline in its value (notably against the dollar). In this paper we look at this issue and reflect on the implications of the decline for the future of the euro.The paper begins by briefly reviewing some of the...