This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that Ghana’s overall financial system remains stable. The regulatory and supervisory framework is strong, backed by a modern payment and settlement infrastructure. Financial soundness indicators point to a banking system that is liquid and with...

Upon entry into the European Union, countries become members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), with a derogation from adopting the euro as their currency (that is, each country joining the EU commits to replace its national currency with the euro, but can choose when to request...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that the downturn experienced by the Swedish economy in 2002–03 was relatively mild, with growth remaining well above the European Union average. Expansionary fiscal policy in 2002 underpinned private consumption. Private investment, however,...

The United Kingdom (U.K.) economy has weathered the global slowdown well, supported by an countercyclical monetary policy and an expansionary fiscal stance. Executive Directors welcomed this developments, and stressed the need to tighten monetary, fiscal, and macroeconomic policies. They...

Fiscal problems have long been considered a central feature of financial--that is, currency, debt, and banking--crises. This paper addresses four questions: What are the fiscal causes of crises? Which fiscal vulnerability indicators help to predict crises? Can fiscal variables explain the...

The Swedish economy recovered from the crisis, assisted by a sizable fiscal stimulus. Executive Directors commended the fiscal and monetary frameworks, skillful and proactive management of monetary policy of the Riksbank, the soundness of the financial system, and stressed the need to accelerate...