Narrow Your Choices

Refine By Countries

Refine By Series

Refine By Language

Refine By Date

—

Refine By IMF Taxonomy

Refine By JEL Taxonomy

Refine by LOC Taxonomy

Refine By THEMA Taxonomy

  • Print
  • Save

Business and Economics > Banks and Banking

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 15 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
Clear All Modify Search
Cover Technical Assistance Reports
Saint Lucia: Technical Assistance Report-Report on External Sector Statistics Mission
International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.
A technical assistance (TA) mission on external sector statistics (ESS) was conducted to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Saint Lucia as part of the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) work program on ESS. The mission focused on addressing data compilation issues on trade in goods—especially on the import and re-export of fuel—and travel credits and assessed the revised 2022 balance of payments that was disseminated in December 2023.
Keywords:
Saint Lucia; balance of payments statistics; external sector statistics.; balance of payments estimate; St. Lucia imports; exit surveys methodology; validation procedure; balance of payments survey; CED data; Civil society organizations; External sector statistics; Imports; Customs unions; Exports; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Lucia: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This 2019 Article IV Consultation explains that St. Lucia’s near-term growth prospects are favorable, supported by large infrastructure investment and robust tourist inflows. However, longer-term growth continues to be impeded by high public debt, lingering vulnerabilities in the financial system, and structural impediments to private investment. Diminishing policy buffers further weaken the country’s resilience to external shocks against the backdrop of aprecarious global outlook. Completion of long pending legislative initiatives, alongside stronger regional and domestic financial oversight, should provide banks with incentives to strengthen their balance sheets and increase the efficiency of financial intermediation. There is also a need to draw on supervisory and regulatory tools to respond to emerging risks from rising overseas investments of the banks and the rapid expansion of lending by credit unions. The authorities are recommended to should step up efforts to address the institutional, financing and capacity gaps in its climate and disaster response strategy. Supply-side reforms are needed to unlock potential growth by improving the business environment, reducing energy costs, enhancing labor productivity, and further diversifying the economy.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; investment; infrastructure investment; cost; CARTAC TA; energy price shock; CARTAC Customs; CARTAC Mac programme; fuel price pressure; Natural disasters; Tax administration core functions; Tourism; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Bank Network Analysis in the ECCU
Mr. Balazs Csonto
,
Mr. Alejandro D Guerson
,
Ms. Alla Myrvoda
, and
Emefa Sewordor
This paper applies network analysis to assess the extent of systemic vulnerabilities in the ECCU banking system. It includes two sets of illustrative stress tests. First, solvency and liquidity shocks to each individual bank and the impact on other banks in the network through their biltareal net asset exposures. Second, country and region-wide tail shocks to GDP affecting capital and liquidity of all banks in the shocked jurisdictions, followed by the rippling effects through the regional network. The results identify systemic institutions that merit hightened attention by the regulator, as determined by the degree of connectivity with the rest of the system, and the extent to which they are vulnerable to the failure of other banks.
Keywords:
WP; bank; ECCU; capital; asset; incorporated bank; F34; G21; ECCU bank; bank capital; defaulted claim; liquidity holding; portfolios diversification opportunity; bank exposure; bank institution; creditor bank; remains high; bank assets; bank network analysis; Commercial banks; Nonperforming loans; Distressed institutions; Credit; Market risk; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Lucia: 2018 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for St. Lucia
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This 2018 Article IV Consultation highlights that the GDP growth in St. Lucia reached 3 percent in 2017, sustained by robust activity in several sectors. Favorable external conditions, coupled with hotel expansions and the addition of new flights, generated a strong recovery in tourism, with stay-over arrivals rising by 11 percent, the fastest growth in the Caribbean. Backed by strong tourism inflows, the current account balance strengthened. Unemployment declined from 21.3 percent in 2016 to 20.2 percent in 2017, but youth unemployment remains high at 38.5 percent and labor force participation has fallen. The short-term outlook is favorable, but prospects beyond that are sobering. GDP growth is expected to remain buoyant in the near term.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; investment; expenditure outlay; GDP; tourism sector; growth prospect; CARTAC Customs Administration; youth unemployment; tourist inflow; Natural disasters; External sector statistics; Fiscal stance; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Lucia: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights St. Lucia’s GDP growth, estimated to have reached 0.8 percent in 2016, down from 1.8 percent in 2015. Strong employment growth in agriculture and construction put a dent in unemployment, which declined to 20 percent in the third quarter of 2016. Youth unemployment also fell, but remains very high at 41 percent. GDP is projected to grow at 0.5 percent in 2017, driven mostly by continued strong performance in construction and agriculture. Higher import prices, including for oil, will cause inflation to rise temporarily and, together with weak tourism expenditures, will contribute to wider external imbalances.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; GDP; financing terms; executive board assessment; growth prospect; CARTAC Customs Administration; ECCU member country; expenditure pressure; Natural disasters; External sector statistics; Caribbean; Global
Cover The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union
The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union
Macroeconomics and Financial Systems
Mr. Alfred Schipke
,
Aliona Cebotari
, and
Ms. Nita Thacker

Abstract

The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union (OECS/ECCU) is one of four currency unions in the world. As in other parts of the world in the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis, the region is at a crossroads, facing the major challenges of creating jobs, making growth more inclusive, reforming the banking system, and managing volatility, while grappling with high public debt and persistent low economic growth. Policymakers have the critical task of implementing strong reforms to strengthen the monetary union while also laying the foundation for accelerating growth. This Handbook provides a comprehensive analysis of the key issues in the OECS/ECCU, including its organization and economic and financial sector linkages, and provides policy recommendations to foster economic growth.

Keywords:
BOOK; ECCU country; ECCU; OECS; ECCU economy; ECCU member; banking sector; financial crisis; Credit bureaus; Debt restructuring; Caribbean; Global; Central America; Europe; Western Hemisphere; ECCU government; ECCU authorities; South America
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Lucia: Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; market price; banking system; merchandise export; fund staff estimate; net credit; ECCB note; countries ouside ECCB territory; factor income; fund Staff estimate; Exports; Public sector; Commercial banks; Agricultural commodities; Imports; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2007 Discussion on Common Policies of Member Countries: Staff Report; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion
International Monetary Fund
Over the last decade, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) macroeconomic performance has deteriorated relative to the rest of the Caribbean. Tourism accounts for three-fifths of exports, and the import content of consumption and investment is high. The ECCB-operated quasi-currency board arrangement (CBA) has continued to deliver price and exchange rate stability. The region has strong social indicators, but poverty, health, and crime remain concerns. Despite the implementation of ambitious revenue reforms, limited progress has been made toward fiscal consolidation. Credit has continued to expand rapidly.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; ECCU country; OECS-Education Development Project; GDP; debt; banking system; CARTAC consultant; core area; current account; U.S. dollar; Public sector; Commercial banks; Tourism; Credit; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Lucia: Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
The statistical data on GDP, saving and investment, selected data on the banana industry, selected industrial production, consumer price index, monetary survey, summary operations of the Eastern Caribbean central bank, consolidated accounts of the commercial banks, summary balance of payments, value, volume, and unit value of major exports, imports and prices of petroleum products, merchandise trade volumes, direction of trade, selected tourism statistics, structure of public debt and effective exchange rate indices, and related economic indices have been detailed in this paper.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; market price; exchange rate; banking system; fund staff estimate; net credit; ECCB note; countries ouside ECCB territory; fund Staff estimate; factor income; Exports; Agricultural commodities; Commercial banks; Imports; Loans; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank: Report on Observance of Standards and Codes: Data Module, Response by the Authorities, and Detailed Assessment Using the Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF)
International Monetary Fund
This report focuses on the Monetary Statistics Component of the Regional Data Module Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes for the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). The report reveals that with respect to the prerequisites of quality and assurances of integrity, the legislation broadly supports mandatory data reporting and the confidentiality of the reported data. However, the ECCB’s responsibility for compiling and disseminating monetary statistics to the public is not clearly specified in the law. Regarding resources, the number of staff allocated to the compilation of monetary statistics is inadequate.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; commercial bank; data; ECCB website; procedure; ECCB; verification procedure; IMF GDDS website; commercial banks vis-à-vis; data review need; staff resource; Monetary statistics; Commercial banks; Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF); Financial statistics; Data processing; Caribbean