France’s near–term economic outlook is moderately positive, but clouded by risks from the global environment. The government’s reformist intentions provide an historic opportunity to place France onto a sustained higher growth path with greater opportunities for all. Economic policy should...

The staff report gives details of some selected issues of France, namely its credit developments, systematic linkages of French banks, the need for a significant fiscal consolidation for macroeconomic stability, an update on the developments of France's external competitiveness, and also the...

This paper explores the determinants of expected rates of realignment of the French franc/Deutsche mark exchange rate during the period 1987-1991. It does so by first estimating expected parity changes and then relating these to economic variables that are believed to influence agents’...

This paper deals with hysteresis in the desired equilibrium exchange rate (DEER) arising from misalignment. When the actual real exchange rate departs from its DEER value, current account realizations--and consequently, debt service obligations--will differ from those assumed in the initial DEER...

High and persistent unemployment, as well as its composition, e.g., high youth unemployment, suggests underlying structural problems in the French labor market. Comparisons with other industrial countries, as well as time series and cross-section empirical evidence, point to a number of...

This paper analyses the effect of asset prices on credit growth in France and tries to disentangle credit demand and supply factors, both for the whole 1993-2010 period and during periods of financial instability. Using bank-level panel data at a quarterly frequency, stock price growth is shown...

This paper describes economic developments in France during 1990–95. Partner country demand recovered markedly in the course of 1993, following a sharp downturn since the middle of 1992. The surge of exports during the second half of 1993 was followed by a temporary stabilization at a higher...

This book, edited by Paul R. Mason, analyses the policy challenges that face the French economy in the second half of this decade, highlighting the need for structural changes to enhance the economy's flexibility. The authors argue that budgetary constraints will oblige France to address...

The 2012 Article IV Consultation with France discusses the financial and economic conditions of the country. Although France weathered the 2008 financial and subsequent euro area crises relatively well compared with other advanced countries, its recovery has been sluggish. France has become a...

This Financial System Stability Assessment on France discusses the French financial system and the restructuring of French banks to different business models. The French banking system weathered the 2007–09 global financial crisis well. The large French banks have announced plans to meet Basel...