Recurrent concerns over debt sustainability in emerging and developed nations have prompted renewed debate on the role of fiscal rules. Their optimality, however, remains unclear. We provide a quantitative analysis of fiscal rules in a standard model of sovereign debt accumulation and default...

"Since 1999 the Geneva Reports on the World Economy, published jointly by CEPR and ICMB, have informed the highest calibre discussion and debate on global economics issues. The 16th issue delivers on this reputation: the Report provides an analysis of the role of debt dynamics in the recovery...

In emerging markets, unexpected public expenditure reductions increase firm-level investment, which quickly surpasses pre-shock levels after a temporary contraction, owing to a decline in financing costs. Investment’s recovery is facilitated by fiscal space, exchange rate flexibility, and...