South Asia experienced a strong cyclical rebound in 2013Q3 growth but has since slowed again. The strong regional growth performance between July and September 2013 can be largely attributed to a temporary pick up in export growth, investment activity, as well as stronger agricultural output....

External financing conditions for developing countries have been remarkably favorable in recent months, reflecting expectations of a more drawn-out period of monetary policy accommodation in high-income countries and some narrowing of external vulnerabilities. Additional easing by the European...

Access to reliable cross-country data on private sector development is crucial when formulating responses to economic crises. When downturns affect exports, investment, and growth negatively, making life easier for business is a significant step towards economic recovery. This has become obvious...

In this introduction, the authors do three things. They first introduce the puzzle and relate it to existing interpretations from market reformists and their critics, arguing that both sets of views are inadequate. The authors then offer an alternative interpretation: that entrenched inequities...

Access to reliable cross-country data on private sector development is crucial when formulating responses to economic crises. When downturns affect exports, investment, and growth negatively, making life easier for business is a significant step towards economic recovery. This has become obvious...

The little data book is a pocket edition of the global financial development database published as part of the work on the Global Financial Development Report 2014 : financial inclusion. The book has put more emphasis on access indicators and, in particular, includes additional variables...