IMF Working Papers

Latin American Central Bank Reform: Progress and Challenges

June 1, 2005

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Latin American Central Bank Reform: Progress and Challenges, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2005) accessed November 21, 2024
Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

This study takes stock of the institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America since the early 1990s. It argues that strengthening the legal independence of central banks, together with macroeconomic policies, was instrumental in reducing inflation from three-digit annual rates in the 1990s to single-digit territory in 2004. The paper also discusses the main challenges of monetary policy today, namely, achieving price stability, restoring market confidence in domestic currencies, and sticking to policy consistency despite adverse effects of the volatility of capital flows. Finally, recurrent banking crises and lack of fiscal discipline are identified as the main risks for the success of monetary policy in Latin America.

Subject: Banking, Central bank autonomy, Central bank legislation, Inflation, Price stabilization

Keywords: A number of central banks, Accountability requirement, Central bank governor, Decision-making horizon, Executive branch, Financial system, Inflation rate, Monetary policy committee, WP

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    43

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2005/114

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2005114

  • ISBN:

    9781451861334

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941