Limited progress has been made in addressing Nepal’s structural weaknesses in tax administration and public financial management. Macroeconomic performance under the recent Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF)-supported program has been stable. The outlook for 2007–08...

The Slovak economy showed recovery from sharp recession. Executive Directors suggested that restoring fiscal sustainability and removing unemployment while maintaining external competitiveness within the monetary union should be given priority. The fiscal consolidation strategy could be...

Over the last three years, a rapid expansion in domestic demand has dramatically widened the current account deficit in Iceland. Demand expanded faster than supply, and evidence of overheating is widespread. Monetary policy has tightened, but, until recently, the impact has been channeled...

KEY ISSUES Outlook and risks. The economy will remain vulnerable over the medium term, with sluggish real GDP growth, rising public debt and widening external current account deficits. International reserves could decline to uncomfortably low levels. The financial system would continue to be...

The Eighth Review Under the Extended Arrangement discusses Ireland’s fiscal policy, financial reforms, economic growth, and employment. The policy implementation of Ireland continued to remain strong, even though the country has been susceptible to global financial shocks....

This paper discusses key findings of the Fifth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for Armenia. Fiscal policy has been prudent, but increasing expenditure pressures are creating medium-term fiscal risks. Tax collection still falls short of financing needs for...

Romania’s GDP growth averaged more than 6½ percent per year from 2003 to 2008, as foreign direct investment and capital inflows helped finance high consumption and investment growth. The staff report for Romania’s request for a Stand-By Arrangement is also elaborated. Robust...

After a moderate recovery in 2010–11, the Samoan economy has shown signs of slowing down amid rising inflation. After two consecutive years of contraction, real GDP has expanded by 2 percent in 2010–11. The Central Bank of Samoa has maintained an accommodative monetary policy to...

The Jamaican economy made progress in reducing public debt despite adverse shocks and revenue shortfalls through fiscal consolidation under intensified IMF surveillance. IMF staff monitors the implementation of economic strategy formulated by the authorities. Executive Directors welcomed the...

Using data from the contiguous US states from 1951 to 2008, this study examines the dynamics of the intertemporal budget constraint to better understand persistent budget deficits. The direction of causality between tax revenues and expenditures is of primary interest in answering the four...