Strauch, Rolf, Rojas, Juan, O’Connor, Frank, Casalinho, Cristina, de Ramón-Laca Clausen, Pablo, Kalozois, Phaedon, (2016), “Accessing sovereign markets – the recent experiences of Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Cyprus“, ESM Discussion Paper Series, June Every European government needs market access. It needs to be able to finance itself at affordable prices on financial markets. To most, market access seems unproblematic and is normally taken for granted. The daily work of Debt Management Offices …Read More
How to deal with the Resolution of Financial Market Infrastructures
Huertas, Thomas, (2016), “How to deal with the Resolution of Financial Market Infrastructures”, CEPS Series: Task Force Report, 19 October This new interim report by the CEPS Task Force on Implementing Financial Sector Resolution welcomes international efforts to devise guidelines to ensure that FMIs are resolvable, i.e. acknowledging that any FMI can fail, but if an FMI fails, critical operations will continue to be performed. The report argues that European rules in …Read More
International Monetary Fund Annual Report 2016
International Monetary Fund, (2016), “International Monetary Fund Annual Report 2016”, IMF, September The year was marked by difficult challenges and milestone achievements. To reinvigorate modest growth at a time of uncertainty about a complicated global economy, the IMF membership endorsed a three-pronged approach of monetary, fiscal, and structural policies to get the world economy back on a stronger and safer growth track. Highlights of the IMF’s work during the year …Read More
Global Financial Stability Report: Fostering Stability in a Low-Growth, Low-Rate Era
International Monetary Fund, (2016), “Global Financial Stability Report: Fostering Stability in a Low-Growth, Low-Rate Era”, IMF, October The current report finds that short-term risks to global financial stability have abated since April 2016. The rise of commodity prices from their lows, along with the ongoing adjustments in emerging markets, has supported a recovery in capital flows. In advanced economies, weaker growth has been mitigated by the prospect of further monetary …Read More
Joint Report on Health Care and Long-Term Care Systems & Fiscal Sustainability
European Commission, (2016), “Joint Report on Health Care and Long-Term Care Systems & Fiscal Sustainability”, European Commission Publications, 7 October This report, prepared by the staff of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs and the Economic Policy Committee (Ageing Working Group), presents policy challenges for health care and long term care, and options on how to contain spending pressures through efficiency gains, in order to ensure fiscally sustainable …Read More
European Business Cycle Indicators – 3rd Quarter 2016
European Commission, (2016), “European Business Cycle Indicators – 3rd Quarter 2016”, European Commission Publications, 7 October Both the euro-area and EU Economic Sentiment Indicators (ESI) moved broadly sideways in the third quarter of 2016. Standing at 104.9 (euro area) and 105.6 (EU) points respectively, both indicators remain comfortably above their longterm average of 100. From a sectoral perspective, the euro area and the EU witnessed a flat evolution of consumer …Read More
Fiscal Monitor: Debt—Use It Wisely
International Monetary Fund, (2016), “Fiscal Monitor: Debt—Use It Wisely”, IMF, Οctober At 225 percent of world GDP, the global debt of the nonfinancial sector—comprising the general government, households, and nonfinancial firms—is currently at an all-time high. Two-thirds, amounting to about $100 trillion, consists of liabilities of the private sector which, as documented in an extensive literature, can carry great risks when they reach excessive levels. However, there is considerable heterogeneity, …Read More
World Economic Outlook: Subdued Demand: Symptoms and Remedies
International Monetary Fund, (2016), “World Economic Outlook: Subdued Demand: Symptoms and Remedies”, IMF, October Global growth is projected to slow to 3.1 percent in 2016 before recovering to 3.4 percent in 2017. The forecast, revised down by 0.1 percentage point for 2016 and 2017 relative to April, reflects a more subdued outlook for advanced economies following the June U.K. vote in favor of leaving the European Union (Brexit) and weaker-than-expected …Read More
The World Bank Annual Report 2016
World Bank, (2016), “The World Bank Annual Report 2016”, World Bank, September This Annual Report, which covers the period from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, has been prepared by the Executive Directors of both the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) collectively known as the World Bank—in accordance with the respective bylaws of the two institutions. Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank …Read More
Assessing the Euro Area’s Shock-Absorption Capacity: Risk sharing, consumption smoothing and fiscal policy
Alcidi, Cinzia, Thirion, Gilles, (2016), “Assessing the Euro Area’s Shock-Absorption Capacity: Risk sharing, consumption smoothing and fiscal policy”, CEPS Special Report No.146, September Based on a combination of quantitative analysis and a qualitative forward-looking approach, this paper assesses both the state of play and the future capacity of the EMU to respond and adapt to asymmetric shocks. The objective is to provide a basis upon which to gauge the potential value …Read More