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Business and Economics > Banks and Banking

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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2019 Discussion on Common Policies of Member Countries-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This paper presents IMF’s 2019 Discussion on Common Policies of Member Countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). ECCU’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated from 3/4 percent in 2017 to 3 3/4 percent in 2018, reflecting buoyancy in the tourism sector, sizable Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) inflows, and a recovery from the 2017 hurricanes in Anguilla and Dominica, which were supported by large public investments in reconstruction. Fiscal deficits increased in 2018–2019, but they have remained moderate. Efforts are needed to streamline, and re-balance tax incentives based on clear principles consistent with international best practices. External imbalances are sizable and significant financial sector vulnerabilities affect both banks and non-banks. Growth is projected to gradually moderate toward its long-term average of 2 1/4 percent as the cyclical momentum normalizes and CBI inflows ease. These trends would also contribute to wider fiscal deficits, ending the downward drift in public debt dynamics. The outlook is clouded by downside risks, including a possible intensification of natural disasters and financial sector weaknesses.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; authority; ECCB authority; e-government platform; ECCU price aggregate; article IV consultation discussion; ECCU region; ECCU country; ECCU work program; Digital currencies; Natural disasters; Tax incentives; Credit bureaus; Caribbean; 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
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2017 Discussion on Common Policies of Member Countries-Press Release and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This paper discusses key points of 2017 Discussions on Common Policies of Member Countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). Favorable external conditions continue to support economic recovery in the ECCU, but flat tourism receipts and falling revenues from citizenship programs have weakened growth. The fiscal position has deteriorated slightly, and public debt remains high. Despite progress on financial sector reform, bank lending continues to decline while indigenous banks’ profitability is adversely impacted by increasing costs to secure correspondent banking relationships. The short-term outlook is favorable and risks are broadly balanced, but strong structural policies are needed to address impediments to medium-term growth.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; ECCU country; cost; legislation; director; country authorities; growth prospect; reducing cost; financing arrangement; tourism inflow; Natural disasters; Fiscal rules; Credit bureaus; Credit; 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 IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2016 Discussion on Common Policies of Member Countries-Press Release and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This IMF Staff Report for the 2016 Discussion on Common Policies of Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) Member Countries highlights that the regional recovery in ECCU is gaining ground, supported by continued low oil prices, strong tourism arrivals, and robust citizenship-by-investment receipts. Risks to the near-term outlook are balanced, but growth in the ECCU continues to be hindered by weak competitiveness, banking sector fragilities, susceptibility to natural disasters, and large public debt. The Executive Directors have encouraged the authorities to press ahead with sound macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to decisively address these issues and strengthen the conditions for robust long term growth.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Anguilla CARTAC; country authorities; ECCU; aggregate; discussion; ECCU price aggregate; ECCU well; FAD tax mission; ECCU aggregate; CARTAC framework; Natural disasters; Commercial banks; Interest rate parity; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund
The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) has made significant progress in improving the quality and quantity of the macroeconomic statistics it produces and disseminates to the public. The Selected Issues Paper discusses prospects and challenges for credit unions in the ECCU. It reviews the current state of macroeconomic statistics, outlines progress that has been made, and identifies outstanding challenges. It also describes technical assistance to the region and presents the challenges for the production of macroeconomic statistics in small island states.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; credit union; ECCU country; credit union sector; loan; ECCU member states; credit union membership; harmonized credit union legislation; Credit bureaus; Commercial banks; Consumer price indexes; Monetary statistics; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2010 Discussion on Common Policies of Members Countries—Staff Report; Informational Annex, and the Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion
International Monetary Fund
Real regional gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 6 percent in 2009, reflecting a collapse in tourist arrivals and foreign direct investment (FDI)-financed construction activity. The global financial and economic crisis has also exposed areas of significant weaknesses, notwithstanding reforms implemented by a number of member countries. Executive Directors concurred that the urgent challenge is fiscal consolidation. They noted IMF staff’s assessment that the real effective exchange rate (REER) appears broadly in line with current fundamentals.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; ECCU country; ECCU region; financial crisis; economic crisis; OECS Financial; ECCU government; ECCU aggregate; ECCU member; Commercial banks; Public sector; Government debt management; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: 2009 Discussion on Common Policies of Members Countries: Staff Report; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion
International Monetary Fund
The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) countries financial system has increasingly come under stress particularly through weakly supervised nonbank and offshore financial sectors with knock-on effects to domestic banks. The staff report focuses on ECCU’s 2009 discussion on common policies of member countries on economic development and policies. In response, ECCU authorities have accelerated the establishment of national Single Regulatory Units and the passage of harmonized legislation to strengthen then regulation and supervision of nonbanks and offshore institutions.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; deficit; OECS-Education Development Project; Grenada; asset; ECCU country; ECCU aggregate; core area; ECCU member; banking system; CARTAC program; Commercial banks; Credit; Caribbean; Global
Cover IFS Supplement on Monetary and Financial Statistics
IFS Supplement on Monetary and Financial Statistics
International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.

Abstract

International Financial Statistics provides a complete library of continuously updated international statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. The monthly print edition contains over 1,000 pages of statistical data in each issue. It reports, for most countries of the world, current data needed in the analysis of problems of international payments and of inflation and deflation, i.e., data on exchange rates, international liquidity, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production, international transactions, government accounts, and national accounts. Information is presented in country tables and in tables of area and world aggregates.

Keywords:
IF; IFS; Sec.Ot.th.Shares Excl.f; deposits Excl. from broad money; Depository corporation; foreign assets; broad money Liabs
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