World Economic and Financial Surveys

November 12, 1998

World Economic Outlook, October 1998: Financial Turbulence in the World Economy

Description: The World Economic Outlook, published twice a year in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, presents IMF staff economists analyses of global economic developments during the near and medium term. Chapters give an overview of the world economy; consider issues affecting industrial countries, developing countries, and economies in transition to market; and address topics of pressing current interest. Annexes, boxes, charts, and an extensive statistical appendix augment the text.

October 1, 1998

International Capital Markets, 1998

Description: This year's capital markets report provides a comprehensive survey of recent developments and trends in the advanced and emerging capital markets, focusing on financial market behavior during the Asian crisis, policy lessons for dealing with volatility in capital flows, banking sector developments in the advanced and emerging markets, initiatives in banking system supervision and regulation, and the financial infrastructure for managing systemic risk in EMU.

Notes: This title ceased publication in August 2001. Both the Report and the Emerging Market Financing quarterly (published 2000-2001) have been replaced by a new quarterly, The Global Financial Stability Report. The new report was created to provide timely and comprehensive coverage of both mature and emerging financial markets as part of the IMF's stepped up tracking of financial markets.

March 2, 1998

Official Financing for Developing Countries 1997

Description: This study provides information on official financing for developing countries with the focus on low and lower-middle-income countries. It updates the 1995 edition and reviews developments in direct financing by offical and multilateral sources. Topics of interest include external debt sustainability for heavily indebted poor countries; new official financing flows to developing countries; developments in export credits;financing from multilateral institutions; debt restructuring by official bilateral creditors; plus, numerous appendices.

February 13, 1998

Trade Liberalization in Fund-Supported Programs

Description: This study asseses trade liberalization in programs supported by the IMF by reviewing multiyear arrangements in the 1990s and six detailed case studies. It also discusses the main economic factors affecting trade policy targets.

January 27, 1998

World Economic Outlook: Interim Assessment, December 1997

Description: The economic and financial crisis that erupted in southeast Asia in July 1997 had continued to deepen and broaden as of December, and spillover effects from investor deteriorating confidence in emerging market economies were being felt throughout the global financial system. This special Interim Assessment of the World Economic Outlook revises regional and global economic projections made by the IMF staff, as published in the October 1997 issue, in light of the crisis; charts the buildup to the crisis and its onset and evolution; assesses effects on the advanced economies and on private financing for developing countries; and raises policy issues that the crisis has posed.

January 23, 1998

Toward a Framework for Financial Stability

Description: This study outlines the broad principles and characteristics of stable and sound financial systems, to facilitate IMF sruveillance over banking sector issues of macroeconomic significance and to contribute the general international effort to reduce the likelihood and diminish the intensity of future financial sector crises.

January 16, 1998

Staff Studies for the World Economic Outlook, 1997

Description: These studies provide supporting material for the analysis and scenarios in the World Economic Outlook.

December 8, 1997

International Capital Markets: Developments, Prospects, and Key Policy Issues 1997

Description: Provides a comprehensive survey of recent developments in international financial markets, including developments in emerging capital markets, bond markets, major currency markets, and derivative markets. The report focuses on efforts by the major industrial countries to strengthen the management of financial risk and prundential oversight over the international banking system. It also critically evaluates existing mechanisms for international cooperation of financial supervision and regulation and proposes the development of international banking standards.

Notes: This title ceased publication in August 2001. Both the Report and the Emerging Market Financing quarterly (published 2000-2001) have been replaced by a new quarterly, The Global Financial Stability Report. The new report was created to provide timely and comprehensive coverage of both mature and emerging financial markets as part of the IMF's stepped up tracking of financial markets.

October 15, 1997

World Economic Outlook: A survey by the staff of the International Monetary Fund: October 1997

Description: This paper presents an outlook for the world economy for 1997–98. With world output expected to expand by some 4¼ percent in both 1997 and 1998, the strongest pace in a decade, the global economy is enjoying the fourth episode of relatively rapid growth since the early 1970s. The expansion is underpinned by continued solid growth with low inflation in the United States and the United Kingdom; a strengthening recovery in Canada; a broadening of recovery across continental western Europe, notwithstanding persistent weakness in domestic demand in some of the largest countries.

September 17, 1996

International Capital Markets: Developments, Prospects, and Key Policy Issues, 1996

Description: Provides a comprehensive survey of recent developments in international financial markets, including developments in emerging capital markets, bond markets, major currency markets, and derivative markets. The report focuses on efforts by the major industrial countries to strengthen the management of financial risk and prundential oversight over the international banking system. It also critically evaluates existing mechanisms for international cooperation of financial supervision and regulation and proposes the development of international banking standards.

Notes: 1986 to date. Earlier issues of this title from 1981 were published as part of the Occasional Paper series; see Occasional Paper, Nos. 1, 7, 14, 23, 31, and 43. 1993 issue published in two parts under the title International Capital Markets. Part I subtitled Exchange Rate Management and International Capital Flows; Part II subtitled Systematic Issues in International Finance. From 1986 to 1991 issued under the title International Capital Markets: Developments and Prospects.