We use a comprehensive database of sovereign credit ratings (SCRs) from Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch for a cross-section of 120 countries from 1986--2009. Using panel data, we find that GDP per capita, the GDP growth rate and the degree of industrialization positively affect...

Money laundering is a dynamic activity attempting to circumvent anti-money laundering (AML) actions. We propose a money-laundering detection approach encompassing three separate detection measures applied simultaneously, providing a consolidated index to minimize circumvention. The index...

We estimate China's demand for foreign reserves from 1994:1 to 2007:4. Using a monetary model for China's reserve demand, we take into account the People's Bank of China's systematic neutralization policy to reduce inflation. While ultimately inconsistent, this policy has led to a growth in...

We estimate China's demand for foreign reserves from 1994:1 to 2007:4. Using a monetary model for China's reserve demand, we take into account the People's Bank of China's systematic neutralization policy to reduce inflation. While ultimately inconsistent, this policy has led to a growth in...

We evaluate China’s neutralization policy by monthly estimations based on the central bank balance sheet from 1999:6 to 2011:6. Our results suggest that China effectively neutralizes 66% of the change of net foreign assets under a pegged currency regime. Consequently, a purchase of one yuan of...

Money laundering is a dynamic activity attempting to circumvent anti-money laundering (AML) actions. We propose a money-laundering detection approach encompassing three separate detection measures applied simultaneously, providing a consolidated index to minimize circumvention. The index...