There is a widespread view that bank capital requirements should be loosened during recessions and tightened during expansions to avoid excessive credit and output swings. This view is based on a partial analysis that ignores the effects of capital requirement policies on the saving decisions of...

This detailed assessment of the observance of standards and codes in the financial sector of the Kingdom of the Netherlands—Netherlands Antilles reviews implementation of the Basel Core Principles for effective banking. Legal provisions are in place entrusting the Bank of the Netherlands...

This paper presents a Detailed Assessment of the Isle of Man’s (IOM) Observance of the Basel Core Principles for the Effective Banking Supervision Report. The recent global financial markets turmoil has had a significant impact on the Manx financial system. The IOM has a deposit...

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 major reforms undertaken in the Netherlands with the adoption of the Twin Peaks regulatory structure have ensured that the recommendations from the Basel Core Principles assessment have been acted upon. The legal and regulatory framework for banking supervision conforms to internationally...

This paper discusses key findings of the detailed assessment of observance of financial sector standards and codes in Switzerland. Switzerland has a relatively unique banking sector, with a high market concentration by the two largest domestic banks. The overall assessment of the peer-review...

This paper reviews findings of the Detailed Assessment of Italy’s Compliance with the Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision. The Italian banking system seems to exhibit a high degree of resilience to possible macroeconomic shocks, as supported by the evolution of some...

This paper discusses key findings of the Financial System Stability Assessment for Italy. The assessment reveals that Italy’s financial system is sound, and no major vulnerabilities that could cause systemic risks are identified. The deep restructuring of the banking sector in the 1990s...

Even though the Russian authorities have maintained financial stability at the time of a major global shock, the financial system is still weak. The crisis has set back progress toward a strong, competitive banking system for the future. The recent unification of the supervision of nonbank...