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Europe > Ireland

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 27 items for :

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Cover IMF Working Papers
What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Output Gaps?
Jelle Barkema
,
Tryggvi Gudmundsson
, and
Mr. Mico Mrkaic
Estimates of output gaps continue to play a key role in assessments of the stance of business cycles. This paper uses three approaches to examine the historical record of output gap measurements and their use in surveillance within the IMF. Firstly, the historical record of global output gap estimates shows a firm negative skew, in line with previous regional studies, as well as frequent historical revisions to output gap estimates. Secondly, when looking at the co-movement of output gap estimates and realized measures of slack, a positive, but limited, association is found between the two. Thirdly, text analysis techniques are deployed to assess how estimates of output gaps are used in Fund surveillance. The results reveal no strong bearing of output gap estimates on the coverage of the concept or direction of policy advice. The results suggest the need for continued caution in relying on output gaps for real-time policymaking and policy assessment.
Keywords:
Output gaps; monetary policy; fiscal policy; WP; output gap estimate; delta real-time output gap; output gap uncertainty; output gaps discussion; output gap coverage; output gap measurement error; overestimated output gap; business cycles; underestimated output gap; Output gap; Potential output; Inflation; Current account balance; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Steady as She Goes—Estimating Potential Output During Financial “Booms and Busts”
Mr. Helge Berger
,
Mr. Thomas Dowling
,
Mr. Sergi Lanau
,
Mr. Mico Mrkaic
,
Mr. Pau Rabanal
, and
Marzie Taheri Sanjani
Potential output—in the sense of the GDP level or path an economy can sustain over the medium term—is a crucial benchmark for policymakers. However, it is difficult to estimate when financial “booms and busts” are driving the real economy. This paper uses a simple multivariate filtering approach to illustrate the role financial variables play in driving potential or sustainable output. The results suggest that it moves more steadily during financial “boom and bust” periods than implied by conventional HP filter estimates, which tend to more closely follow actual GDP. A two-region, multisector New Keynesian DSGE model with financial frictions sheds light on the economic forces that could be behind the results obtained from the filter. This has important implications for policymakers.
Keywords:
WP; MVF output gap; boom and bust; Spain output gaps estimate; house price; MVF-implied output gap; Spain output gaps from a MVF Model; Potential output; Output gap; Credit; housing price movement; Housing prices; Financial frictions; Global
Cover Departmental Papers
Ireland: Lessons from Its Recovery from the Bank-Sovereign Loop
International Monetary Fund
Ireland’s major property bubble burst at the same time as the global financial crisis erupted, plunging the country into a severe recession in 2008–10. Public debt climbed rapidly as revenues collapsed and as banks’ rising loan losses increasingly required public support. Following the Greek crisis in spring 2010 and emerging tensions in the euro area, the last act in the process saw the operation of the “sovereign-bank loop”—a vicious cycle where uncertainty about banks’ health fed into doubts around the sustainability of public debt, which only added to fears about the banks. The government lost access to market financing at manageable interest rates, and Ireland entered into a three-year program supported by €67.5 billion of financial assistance from the European Union (EU) and IMF in late 2010. Ireland’s program therefore had three main goals: restoring the viability of the banking system; putting the public finances on a sustainable path and returning to market funding; and restarting economic recovery including by improving growth potential. A large bank recapitalization in early 2011 helped stabilize deposits and other bank funding. The government’s access to market financing was progressively regained from mid 2012, enabling Ireland to exit the program at the end of 2013 and rely fully on market financing at highly favorable terms. The first signs of recovery were seen in strong job creation starting in the second half of 2012, and Ireland’s recent economic figures have surpassed even the most optimistic expectations, with growth of about 5 percent in 2014. Seeking to draw lessons for Ireland, the EU, and the IMF, as well as other countries facing similar challenges, the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), the Centre for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR), and the IMF organized a conference titled “Ireland—Lessons from Its Recovery from the Bank-Sovereign Loop.” Held on January 19, 2015, at the historic Dublin Castle, it brought together Irish government representatives, European officials, academics, journalists, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders, as well as the IMF’s Managing Director. The conference discussions were anchored by three papers by leading international academics and moderated by journalists familiar with the issues. The event concluded with a high-level panel discussion by senior policymakers.
Keywords:
DPPP; DP; potential GDP; output gap; senior debt; cash injection; banking system; central bank; fiscal policy; financial crisis; Fiscal consolidation; Commercial banks; Loans; Potential output; Europe; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Financial Factors: Implications for Output Gaps
Mr. Pau Rabanal
and
Marzie Taheri Sanjani
We suggest a new approach for analyzing the role of financial variables and shocks in computing the output gap. We estimate a two-region DSGE model for the euro area, with financial frictions at the household level, between 2000-2013. After joining the monetary union, a decline in some countries’ borrowing costs contributed to a credit, housing and real boom and bust cycle. We show that financial frictions amplified economic fluctuations and the measure of the output gap in those countries. On the contrary, in countries such as France and Germany, financial frictions played a minor role in output gap measures. We also present evidence of the trade-offs faced by the European Central Bank when trying to stabilize two regions in a currency union with unsynchronized economic cycles.
Keywords:
WP; Monetary Union; Output Gap; Financial Frictions; Bayesian Estimation; housing demand shocks; house price; monetary policy shock; core output gap; housing stock; housing price fluctuation; preference shock; Housing; Housing prices; Potential output; Inflation; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Correcting “Beyond the Cycle": Accounting for Asset Prices in Structural Fiscal Balances
Miss Estelle X Liu
,
Mr. Todd D. Mattina
, and
Mr. Tigran Poghosyan
This paper outlines an operational approach for incorporating the impact of asset price cycles in the calculation of structural fiscal balances (SFBs). The global financial crisis demonstrated that movements in asset prices can have an important fiscal impact. Failing to account for the fiscal impact of asset price cycles can encourage a pro-cyclical policy stance if temporarily high revenues are passed through into expenditures. In addition, over-estimating the SFB may lead to inadequate fiscal buffers when cyclical revenues eventually dissipate. The paper proposes an empirical approach to correct for asset prices and provides illustrative country results for selected OECD countries. We find that asset price cycles are imperfectly synchronized with the business cycle and are quantitatively significant with an average pre-crisis fiscal impact ranging from about ½ to 2 percent of GDP in the sample. For a number of countries, the pre-crisis fiscal impact of high asset prices was larger at about 4 percent of GDP.
Keywords:
WP; price cycle; price gap; real asset; structural fiscal balance; financial crisis; asset price; equity market; housing market; panel data econometrics; cycles result; asset price cycle; equity price misalignment; B. measuring asset price cycle; housing price gap; Asset prices; Fiscal stance; Housing prices; Output gap; Business cycles; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Ireland: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper outlines some of the technical issues associated with implementation of European Union (EU) fiscal rules in Ireland. Ireland is expected to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure in 2015. From a peak of 13.3 percent of GDP in 2010, the overall deficit was brought down to an estimated 3.9 percent of GDP in 2014. In this paper, EU fiscal rule framework is discussed in more detail. Technical challenges in estimating potential output in Ireland, and some options to address these challenges are also outlined.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; potential GDP; GDP; Ireland; potential GDP growth; Multinational enterprises; structural adjustment rule; REIT shares investor; OECD output gap; financing alternative; Output gap; Fiscal stance; Loans; Mutual funds; Europe; Global; trade performance; B. EU fiscal rule; contract manufacturing; output gap estimate; output gap excluding sector; Potential output
Cover IMF Working Papers
Youth Unemployment in Advanced Europe: Okun’s Law and Beyond
Angana Banerji
,
Ms. Huidan Huidan Lin
, and
Mr. Sergejs Saksonovs
The crisis has intensified what was previously a chronic unemployment problem in Europe; youth unemployment is now at unprecedented highs in some European countries. This paper assesses the main drivers of youth unemployment in Europe. It finds that much of the increase in youth unemployment rates during the crisis can be explained by output dynamics and the greater sensitivity of youth unemployment to economic activity than adult unemployment. Labor market institutions also play a significant role in explaining the persistently high levels of youth unemployment, especially the tax wedge, minimum wages relative to the median wage, spending on active labor market policies, the opportunity cost of working (measured by the unemployment benefits), vocational training, and labor market duality. This suggests that policies to address youth unemployment should be comprehensive and country-specific, focused on reviving growth and advancing labor market reforms.
Keywords:
WP; business cycle; product market; Youth employment; youth unemployment; Okun’s law; labor market factors; labor market feature; labor market factor; labor market outcome; labor market duality; replacement ratio; youth employment condition; product market feature; labor market variable; documents labor market dynamics; paper documents labor market dynamics; replacement rate; Labor markets; Unemployment rate; Unemployment; Employment; Output gap; Global; Europe
Cover IMF Working Papers
Rebalancing in the Euro Area and Cyclicality of Current Account Adjustments
Mr. Thierry Tressel
and
Mr. Shengzu Wang
The paper examines progress with the external rebalancing of euro area deficit countries. Relative prices are adjusting at different pace across countries and with different compositions of wage cuts and labor shedding. There is so far limited evidence of resource re-allocation from non-tradable to tradable sectors, while improved export performance is still dependent on external demand from the rest of world. Current account adjustments have taken place, reflecting structural changes but also cyclical forces, suggesting that part of the improvements may unwind when cyclical conditions improve. Looking ahead, relying only on relative price adjustments (which adversely affects demand) to rebalance the euro area could prove very challenging. Structural reforms will play an important role in the reallocation of resources to the tradable sector and the associated relative price adjustment, while boosting non-price and price competitiveness.
Keywords:
WP; deficit country; output gap; Rebalancing; Imbalances; Current Account; Euro Area; export performance; import shifter; current account adjustment; Export performance; Exports; Potential output; Labor costs; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Output Gap in Presence of Financial Frictions and Monetary Policy Trade-offs
Francesco Furlanetto
,
Paolo Gelain
, and
Marzie Taheri Sanjani
The recent global financial crisis illustrates that financial frictions are a significant source of volatility in the economy. This paper investigates monetary policy stabilization in an environment where financial frictions are a relevant source of macroeconomic fluctuation. We derive a measure of output gap that accounts for frictions in financial market. Furthermore we illustrate that, in the presence of financial frictions, a benevolent central bank faces a substantial trade-off between nominal and real stabilization; optimal monetary policy significantly reduces fluctuations in price and wage inflations but fails to alleviate the output gap volatility. This suggests a role for macroprudential policies.
Keywords:
WP; monetary policy; Financial Frictions; Potential output; Optimal Monetary Policy; Output Gap; output gap stabilization; computing output gap; wage inflation; mark-up shock; asset price inflation; efficient frontier; output gap dynamics; monetary policy authority; implied output gaps; output gap in presence; inflation target shock; monetary policy shock; Wages; Inflation
Cover Staff Discussion Notes
Adjustment in Euro Area Deficit Countries: Progress, Challenges, and Policies
Mr. Thierry Tressel
,
Mr. Shengzu Wang
,
Mr. Joong S Kang
,
Mr. Jay C Shambaugh
,
Mr. Jörg Decressin
, and
Ms. Petya Koeva Brooks
Imbalances within the euro area have been a defining feature of the crisis. This paper provides a critical analysis of the ongoing rebalancing of euro area “deficit economies” (Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain) that accumulated large current account deficits and external liability positions in the run-up to the crisis. It shows that relative price adjustments have been proceeding gradually. Real effective exchange rates have depreciated by 10-25 percent, driven largely by reductions in unit labor costs due to labor shedding. While exports have typically rebounded, subdued demand accounts for much of the reduction in current account deficits. Hence, the current account balance of the euro area as a whole has shifted into surplus. Internal rebalancing has come with subdued activity—notably very high unemployment in the deficit economies—and made continued adjustment more difficult. To advance rebalancing further, the paper emphasizes the need for: (1) macroeconomic policies that support demand and bring inflation in line with the ECB’s medium-term price stability objective; (2) continued EMU reforms (banking union) to ensure proper financial intermediation; and (3) structural reforms in product and labor markets to improve productivity and support the reallocation of resources to tradable sectors.
Keywords:
SDN; deficit country; deficit economy; area country; countries vis-à-vis; financial system; labor market; Euro Area; Crisis; Current account; Rebalancing; Competitiveness; External stability; Structural reforms; Potential output; Current account deficits; Output gap; Price adjustments; Global