This technical note examines investment opportunities for pension funds in Kazakhstan. It puts forward policy alternatives that could lead to improved management of pension fund assets in Kazakhstan. The note emphasizes prudence in the management of pension assets, given the social and fiscal...

Despite achieving macroeconomic stability, there is not much improvement in Cameroon's social indicators. To achieve higher and more inclusive growth, the report mentioned that problems in sectors such as infrastructure and a reduction in per capita income and mounting costs of fuel subsidies...

The 2007 Article IV Consultation reports on Ghana’s recent economic and policy development. Public Financial Management (PFM) has been strengthened through improvements in fiscal reporting and deployment of the new computerized payroll management system. Executive Directors commended the...

The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) countries financial system has increasingly come under stress particularly through weakly supervised nonbank and offshore financial sectors with knock-on effects to domestic banks. The staff report focuses on ECCU’s 2009 discussion on common...

This paper discusses key findings of the Detailed Assessment of Observance of the Fedwire Securities Service’s (FSS) Observance of the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems/International Organization of Securities Commissions (CPSS–IOSCO) Recommendations for Securities...

This paper discusses findings of the joint IMF–World Bank Indonesia Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) undertaken during 2009– 10. The assessment was conducted on processes and functions, as opposed to institutions and with the cooperation of the Bapepam-LK, the Bank...

This paper discusses key findings of the financial sector stability assessment for Romania. The assessment reveals that in recent years, Romania’s financial sector regulatory authorities have made significant progress in adopting international best practices, including through...

This paper surveys the foreign exchange markets, money and secondary government security markets, and stock exchanges in 107 smaller economy countries. The underdevelopment of these markets impedes risk transfer, monetary policy, corporate financing, and the capacity to absorb capital inflows....

In just over a decade after independence, the three Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have transformed themselves into fully functioning, small open-market economies that will be joining the European Union. Capital Markets and Financial Intermediation in The Baltics analyzes the...

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Financial System Stability Assessment highlights banking supervision, insurance supervision, securities regulation, and antimoney laundering and combating the financing of terrorism. The banking sector is well capitalized. Asset quality has been improving and...