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 > Insurance

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 18 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Middle East and Central Asia x
Clear All Modify Search
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Lebanon: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
This Selected Issues paper analyzes the various transmission channels of the Syrian crisis—though quantification is hampered by the lack of reliable data—with focus on the impact on fiscal performance and labor markets; it also takes stock of international donor efforts to date. The paper also provides overviews of main effects on Lebanon’s economy, the expenditure pressures associated with the refugee presence, the impact on poverty and inequality, and the added strains on labor markets. A section of the paper describes the response by the international community to help Lebanon cope with the Syrian crisis. Absent additional international support, the needs of both refugees and affected Lebanese communities will not be met. Sound government policies—including implementation of a concerted policy framework to deal with refugee issues and a commitment to fiscal discipline—will send credible signals to donors and help mobilize budget support. Tackling the unprecedented refugee crisis requires strong international support. There has been a large international humanitarian response, but much more is needed.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; refugee; Lebanon; natural resources; stock market; refugee influx; revenue; stock exchange; resource revenue; influx scenario; refugee crisis; Fiscal stance; Stock markets; Fiscal governance; Labor markets; Middle East; Europe; Asia and Pacific; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Armenia: Financial System Stability Assessment
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
Armenia’s growing financial system is dominated by banks, and its regulatory and supervisory system is robust. The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) to develop a program to gather information and monitor the hedging ability of borrowers. Liquidity requirements in foreign currency would be an important risk mitigant particularly because the CBA has a limited ability to extend foreign currency emergency liquidity assistance. Implementation of the pension reform in 2014 will bring additional investments to the market.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; CBA law; CBA board meetings; CBA regulation; CBA data; CBA staff members; problem bank; Insurance companies; Insurance; Loans; Commercial banks; Stress testing; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Natural Disasters: Mitigating Impact, Managing Risks
Ms. Nicole Laframboise
and
Mr. Boileau Loko
This paper reviews the literature on the macroeconomic impact of natural disasters and presents the IMF’s role in assisting countries coping with natural catastrophes. Focusing on seven country cases, the paper describes the emergency financing, policy support, and technical assistance provided by the Fund to help governments put together a policy response or build a macro framework to lay the foundation for recovery and/or unlock other external financing. The literature and experience suggests there are ways to strengthen policy frameworks to increase resilience to natural disaster shocks, including identifying the risks and probability of natural disasters and integrating them more explicitly into macro frame-works, increasing flexibility within fiscal frameworks, and improving coordination amongst international partners ex post and ex ante.
Keywords:
WP; IMF financing; disaster risk financing strategy; fund emergency financing; IMF's financing instrument; contingent financing; financing catalyst; fund financing; IMF program; natural disasters; economic growth; self-insurance; buffers; private sector; Balance of payments need; Disaster aid; Emergency assistance; Insurance; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Cross-country Consumption Risk Sharing, a Long-run Perspective
Mr. Zhaogang Qiao
This paper estimates an empirical nonstationary panel regression model that tests long-run consumption risk sharing across a sample of OECD and emerging market (EM) countries. This is in contrast to the existing literature on consumption risk sharing, which is mainly about risks at business cycle frequency. Since our methodology focuses on identifying cointegrating relationships while allowing for arbitrary short-run dynamics, we can obtain a consistent estimate of long-run risk sharing while disregarding any short-run nuisance factors. Our results show that long-run risk sharing in OECD countries increased more than that in EM countries during the past two decades.
Keywords:
WP; time series; math
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Tajikistan: Financial System Stability Assessment, including Reports on Observance of Standards and Codes on the following topics, Banking Supervision, and Monetary and Financial Policy Transparency
International Monetary Fund
The Republic of Tajikistan’s Financial System Stability Assessment and reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes are examined. The Tajik financial system is small despite recent rapid growth. Overall, banks remain well capitalized and liquid, but the brisk expansion of their loan portfolios is rapidly eroding capital buffers in a context where governance and supervision of the financial system raise concerns. The governance, regulatory, and supervisory frameworks for the financial sector should be strengthened. The key areas for the banking sector include licensing, remedial actions, and disclosure of significant shareholders and beneficial ownership.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; balance sheet; monetary policy; financial system; interest rate; foreign currency; joint stock; NBT bank supervisor; bank lending; credit risk; negative equity; liquidity management; Tajik bank; transparency practice; exchange rate; broad money; NBT guideline; Loans; Commercial banks; Payment systems; Credit risk; Insurance; Global
Cover Country Insurance
Country Insurance
The Role of Domestic Policies
Mr. Paolo Mauro
,
Mr. Torbjorn I. Becker
,
Mr. Jonathan David Ostry
,
Mr. Romain Ranciere
, and
Mr. Olivier D Jeanne

Abstract

This paper focuses on what countries can do on their own—that is, on the role of domestic policies—with respect to country insurance. Member countries are routinely faced with a range of shocks that can contribute to higher volatility in aggregate output and, in extreme cases, to economic crises. The presence of such risks underlies a potential demand for mechanisms to soften the blow from adverse economic shocks. For all countries, the first line of defense against adverse shocks is the pursuit of sound policies. In light of the large costs experienced by emerging markets and developing countries as a result of past debt crises, fiscal policies should seek to improve sustainability, taking into account that sustainable debt levels seem to be lower in emerging and developing countries than in advanced countries. Although much can be accomplished by individual countries through sound policies, risk management, and self-insurance through reserves, collective insurance arrangements are likely to continue playing a key role in cushioning countries from the impact of shocks.

Keywords:
OP; cost; emerging market country; commodity price futures; banking crisis dummy; crisis; terms of trade shock; lending boom date; Sudden stops; Emerging and frontier financial markets; Reserve positions; Foreign direct investment; Bonds; Global; Asia and Pacific; Africa; output event; catastrophe bond; Insurance; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Kingdom of Bahrain: Detailed Assessment on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
International Monetary Fund
This paper discusses key findings of the Detailed Assessment on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Bahrain. The assessment was based on the 2003 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 40 Recommendations. The assessment identifies recommendations on how certain aspects of the system could be strengthened. The assessment reveals that the AML/CFT effort is taken seriously in Bahrain and the Kingdom has worked hard over the past few years to implement an extensive AML framework to address the risk of money laundering.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; capital markets licensee; due diligence; court order; account opening; compliance officer; legal system; penal code; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Money laundering; Capital markets; Terrorism financing; Legal support in revenue administration; Middle East; South Asia; Bahrain stock exchange; customer due diligence; Bahrain's FIU; assessment methodology; Insurance
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Kingdom of Bahrain: Financial System Stability Assessment, including Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes on the following topics, Banking Supervision, Insurance Supervision, Securities Regulation, and Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
International Monetary Fund
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Financial System Stability Assessment highlights banking supervision, insurance supervision, securities regulation, and antimoney laundering and combating the financing of terrorism. The banking sector is well capitalized. Asset quality has been improving and provisioning is high. Profitability surged in 2004–05, but historically, return on equity has been moderate for many institutions. Favorable liquidity conditions have caused regional equity and real estate markets to surge. Consumer lending has grown rapidly, although it slowed in 2005 following a tightening of loan to income limits.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; bank; financial institution; Bahrain; return on equity; BMA Law; financial system; U.S. dollar; banking sector; liquid asset; Insurance; Insurance companies; Securities; Financial sector; Commercial banks; Global
Cover IMF Survey
Calendrier
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
L’édition web du Bulletin du FMI est mise à jour plusieurs fois par semaine et contient de nombreux articles sur des questions de politique générale et de politique économique d'actualité. Accédez aux dernières recherches du FMI, lisez des interviews et écoutez des podcasts proposés par les principaux économistes du FMI sur des questions importantes de l'économie mondiale. www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx
Keywords:
SV; special drawing rights; Rodrigo de Rato
Cover IMF Survey
Calendario
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
La edición en Internet del Boletín del FMI, que se actualiza varias veces a la semana, contiene numerosos artículos sobre temas de actualidad en el ámbito de las políticas y la economía. Consulte las últimas investigaciones del FMI, lea entrevistas y escuche podcasts de los principales economistas del FMI sobre importantes temas relacionados con la economía mundial. www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx
Keywords:
SV; special drawing rights; Rodrigo de Rato