IMF Survey Magazine: Policy

IMFSurvey Magazine: Policy

The Bank of Japan in Tokyo: central banks in advanced economies, including Japan, have deployed new tools to counter the effects of the global crisis (photo: Toru Hanai/Reuters/Corbis)

IMF Assesses New Era of Monetary Policy

May 16, 2013

Several years of exceptionally low interest rates and bond buying by some advanced economy central banks have reduced the risk of deflation, stabilized the financial system, and calmed financial markets, but these unconventional policies also have potential negative side effects.

Read the paper
What is monetary policy?

Global Financial Stability Report
How to make a graceful exit

IMF to Strengthen Advice on Labor Market Policies

May 08, 2013
Having taken stock of the IMF’s work on job creation and growth, there is scope for the institution to provide more analysis and policy advice to help its members achieve their inclusive growth goals, says IMF Deputy Managing Director Min Zhu in an interview.

IMF Outlines Steps to Energize Global Recovery

April 20, 2013
A broad mix of policies is needed to help put the global economy on a sustained and balanced growth path, the IMF said as it wrapped up the 2013 Spring Meetings against a backdrop of an uneven global recovery.

Fiscal Policy Looks Forward

April 19, 2013
The evolving role of fiscal policy in the midst of sluggish economic growth topped the agenda at the 2013 Fiscal Forum. In today’s context of a three-speed global recovery, fiscal policy choices are harder than ever.

Fiscal Risks Retreat as Deficits Continue to Fall

April 16, 2013
A gradually improving global economy and progress toward reducing deficits in advanced economies have lowered short-term fiscal risks, yet many countries still face a long road back to fiscal health.

Credit Default Swaps on Government Debt Are Effective Gauge

April 11, 2013
Credit default swaps on government debt are effective tools for investors to hedge risks, and can enhance financial stability, according to a new analysis from the International Monetary Fund.

IMF Weighs Reforms to Debt Limits Policy

April 08, 2013
The IMF is studying ways to strengthen the focus of its debt limits policy on debt sustainability while allowing countries to manage debt in a more flexible way, a new report says. The IMF’s Executive Board has given the green light to develop proposals in the coming months.

Lack of Growth Hampers Hungary’s Economy

March 29, 2013
Hungary managed to navigate a challenging financial year and maintained economic stability in 2012, but the economy slipped into its second recession in four years and GDP declined by 1.7 percent, the IMF said in its latest annual check-up of the country’s economic health.

Europe-Wide Approach Will Make Financial System Safer

March 15, 2013
In its first-ever European Union-wide assessment of the soundness and stability of the financial sector, the International Monetary Fund pointed to the need to step up regional efforts to manage financial crises and risks to keep the 27 countries that form the world’s largest economy safe and stable.

Big and Small Financial Systems in Spotlight in 2013

January 16, 2013
What do Switzerland and the Kyrgyz Republic have in common? Both will get visits from teams of International Monetary Fund experts in 2013 to examine the safety and stability of their financial systems.

IMF Adopts Institutional View on Capital Flows

December 03, 2012
The International Monetary Fund has developed a comprehensive, flexible and balanced view on the management of capital flows to help give countries clear and consistent policy advice.

IMF Sees Strong Growth, Lingering Risks in Low-Income Countries

April 26, 2013
Low-income countries are now among the fastest-growing economies in the world, but many remain vulnerable to shocks and spillovers from advanced and emerging markets, the IMF says.

IMF Has Clear Role in Interconnected World

April 20, 2013
As economies become increasingly interconnected and interdependent, there is a major role for international organizations such as the IMF, panelists told a seminar at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.

Policymakers Should Address Old Financial Risks, Meet New Challenges

April 17, 2013
The global financial system is far more stable than it was six months ago, but a number of challenges remain. The International Monetary Fund’s latest Global Financial Stability Report says that recent rallies in financial markets will not be sustained—and new risks are likely to emerge— unless policymakers address key vulnerabilities.

Extended Period of Low Interest Rates Can Rekindle Financial Risks

April 11, 2013
Several years of exceptionally low interest rates and bond buying by some advanced economy central banks have improved some indicators of banks’ health while supporting the economy and financial stability, the IMF says in new research.

Lagarde Sets Out Global Policy Actions to Stay Ahead of Crisis

April 10, 2013
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde calls on global policymakers to act to get ahead—and stay ahead—of the crisis. She notes that in many countries, improvements in financial markets have not translated into improvements in the lives of people.

Changing Trends Call for Policy Mix on Jobs, Growth

April 04, 2013
A stable economic environment is essential for generating jobs and growth, the IMF says in a report. But changing trends—including technological advances, globalization, and shifting demographics—now require a broader range of national policies.

IMF Sees Big Gains from Energy Subsidies Reform

March 27, 2013
Subsidies are intended to protect consumers by keeping prices low. But many argue subsidies are inefficient and could be replaced with better means of protecting consumers in need. A new IMF paper urges governments the world over to reform subsidies affecting products ranging from coal to gasoline.

New Products, More Value Can Advance Economic Take-Off

March 04, 2013
To reach the next level of development, low-income countries should strive to transform the structure of their economies by diversifying into new sectors and producing new, higher value-added products, speakers told a conference at the IMF.

IMF to Revise Fiscal Transparency Code, Launches Consultation

December 07, 2012
The IMF is launching a consultation with governments, civil society, academics, and private sector stakeholders to gather ideas for revision of its Code of Good Practices and Manual on Fiscal Transparency, as well as to the way it evaluates countries' fiscal transparency policies.

IMF's Focus Is on Securing Recovery, Anchoring Future

November 21, 2012
Against the backdrop of a still weak global economic outlook, the IMF’s work agenda for the coming months is designed to support bold policy implementation to secure the economic recovery and anchor the future—the key themes of Managing Director Christine Lagarde’s Global Policy Agenda presented at the IMF’s recent annual meetings in Tokyo.

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