World Economic and Financial Surveys

December 1, 1995

Official Financing for Developing Countries

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 official 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.

Notes: By a staff team in the Policy Development and Review Department led by Anthony R. Boote and comprising Ray Brooks, Mariano Cortes, Paulo Drummond, Christopher Jarvis, Reva Krieger, Toshiro Nishizawa, Doris Ross, Kamau Thugge.

December 1, 1995

Officially Supported Export Credits: Developments and Prospects

Description: This study discusses the importance of export credits, their recent growth, and the trend toward more extensive reliance by official bilateral creditors on export credits as an instrument of financial support, and raises a number of issues regarding the role and limitations of export credit financing, espeically for economies in transition.

Notes: 1986. By Eduard Brau, K. Burke Dillon, Chanpen Puckahtikom, and Miranda Xafa (under the title Export Credits: Developments and Prospects). 34 pp. ISBN 0-939934-69-8. Stock #WEO-586. 1988. By K. Burke Dillon and Luis Duran-Downing, with Miranda Xafa. vi+47 pp. ISBN 1-55775-006-8. Stock #WEO-588. 1990. By G. G. Johnson, Matthew Fisher, and Elliot Harris. vi+43 pp. ISBN 1-55775-139-0. Stock #WEO-590. 1995. By Michael G. Kuhn, Balazs Horvath, and Christopher J. Jarvis. vii+47 pp. ISBN 1-55775-480-2.

September 1, 1995

Staff Studies for the World Economic Outlook

Description: These studies, prepared by the staff of the International Monetary Fund, comprise supporting material for the analyses and scenarios in the World Economic Outlook and provide a more detailed examination of the theory and evidence on some major issues affecting the global economy, commodity prices, and individual countries.

Notes: 1986 to date. 1991 and 1992 issues not published. 1990 issue out of print.

September 1, 1995

Private Market Financing for Developing Countries

Description: This study surveys recent trends in private market financing for developing countries. In addition to examining developments in flows to developing countries through banking and securites markets, it analyzes the institutional and regulatory framework for developing country finance, institutional investor behavior and pricing of developing country stocks, management of public sector debt and implications of private external borrowing for macroeconomic policy management, and progress in commercial bank debt restructuring in low-income countries

Notes: 1991 to date. Prepared by a staff team in the Policy Development and Review Department. 1991 edition prepared by a staff team from the then Exchange and Trade Relations Department.

April 13, 1995

Issues in International Exchange and Payments Systems

Description: The global trend toward lilberalization in countries international payments and transfer systems has been widespread in both industrial and developing countries and most dramatic in Central and Eastern Europe. Countries in general have brought their exchange systems more in line with market principles and moved toward more flexible exchange rate arrangements. This study updates previous studies published under the title Developments in International Exchange and Payments Systems.

Notes: Prepared by a staff team from the Monetary and Exchange Affairs Department.

February 8, 1995

International Trade Policies: Volume II The Uruguay Round and Beyond: Background Papers

Description: This study reviews major issues and developments in trade and their implications for the work of the IMF. Volume I, The Uruguay Round and Beyond: Principal Issues, gives an overview of the issues and developments in the world trading system. Volume II, The Uruguay Round and Beyond: Background Papers, presents detailed background papers on selected trade and trade-related issues. This study updates previous studies published under the title Issues and Development in International Trade Policy.

February 8, 1995

International Trade Policies: The Uruguay Round and Beyond: Volume II. Background Papers

Description: International Trade Policies: The Uruguay Round and Beyond: Volume II. Background Papers

January 15, 1994

Staff Studies for the World Economic Outlook, December 1993

Description: This paper focuses on the private nonfinancial sectors of the affected economies, financial liberalization provided households and businesses with greater access to credit markets. This contributed to the long period of expansion during the 1980s. Partly as a result of major changes to the financial systems, several industrial countries had a boom in asset markets associated with a period of asset accumulation, an unprecedented buildup of debt, a sharp increase in relative asset prices, and related increases in household wealth. The expansion in household financial activity in the United Kingdom during the 1980s was paralleled by a sizable boom in investment spending and an increase in corporate debt. The structure of balance sheets was also affected by mergers and acquisitions that led to a further expansion in corporate debt. New types of bank loans and accounts have prevented even greater disintermediation but have also reduced net interest margins because more deposits now earn market-related rates of return.

September 15, 1990

Primary Commodities: Market Developments and Outlook

Description: This study prepared by the Commodities Division of the Research Department reviews and analyzes the developments in commodity markets.

Notes: 1986 to 1990. Discontinued after 1990.

September 15, 1990

Multilateral Official Debt Rescheduling: Recent Experience, November 1990

Description: This paper reviews trends in official debt rescheduling and recent experience with debt renegotiations in the face of the persistent problems of heavily indebted developing countries.

Notes: By Michael G. Kuhn, with Jorge P. Guzman.