Asia and Pacific > Maldives

You are looking at 1 - 4 of 4 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Financial services law & regulation x
Clear All Modify Search
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This Technical Note on Maldives discusses macroprudential policy. The creation of a macroprudential committee with a clear mandate and decision-making powers is recommended. This committee would rely on a well-resourced financial stability unit, acting as a secretariat and providing data-driven recommendations. The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) should consider creating a set of early warning indicators and further develop its macroprudential toolkit. A comprehensive dashboard of both broad-based and sectoral indicators would help monitor systemic risks. Indicators of credit, real-estate development, corporate performance, and household indebtedness should be considered for implementation. In addition, the introduction of several key macroprudential instruments would help prevent the emergence of systemic risk. MMA should follow through on its plan to introduce two household-related instruments. The Financial Sector Assessment Program team recommends the development of additional instruments to safeguard bank liquidity and reduce the currency mismatch of banks as well as other instruments recommended by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper presents a technical note on bank stress testing and climate risks analysis in Maldives. Although the Maldives’ economy has rebounded strongly from the pandemic-induced contraction, macro and financial vulnerabilities remain. The stress test results broadly corroborated the identified vulnerabilities and quantified them. The climate risk analysis considered a micro approach that shocks banks’ immovable asset related loans under three climate scenarios. The system appears well capitalized, although capital ratios are biased upward by large government paper holdings with zero risk weights. The results of the solvency stress test corroborate that banks are less vulnerable to credit risk than they are to the impact of a possible unraveling of the sovereign–bank nexus. Banks’ nonperforming loans (NPL) ratios are projected to increase slightly in the baseline and moderately under stress. The resulting additional loan loss provisions are easily offset by ample pre-provision income.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper presents financial system stability assessment (FSSA) report for Maldives. Maldives is a tourism dependent economy with a small financial sector dominated by state-owned banks. Systemic risks stem largely from a growing sovereign-bank nexus, high dollarization, and a shortage of foreign exchange. The Financial Sector Assessment Program concluded that further strengthening of financial sector policies is needed to improve the resilience of the financial system. The authorities should adopt regulation to address frictions in the foreign exchange market, resume liquidity management operations and develop systemic risk indicators. Priority should also be given to establishing a macroprudential framework along with instruments, publishing a financial stability report, and ensuring full reporting of non-bank payment obligations. The financial safety net and crisis management arrangements should be enhanced by improving early intervention mechanisms, introducing recovery and resolution planning, and enhancing the deposit insurance system. In addition, an effective liquidity assistance framework should be established.
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This 2019 Article IV Consultation discusses that growth in Maldives has been strong and is projected to remain so in 2019 driven by tourism, commerce, and construction. Nonetheless, the Maldives remains highly vulnerable with reduced policy space due to large and growing public debt and rising pressures on external stability. The consultation focused on addressing external imbalances including offering advice on restoring fiscal buffers, strengthening public finance management, reforming the exchange rate regime, building international reserves, improving governance, implementing structural reforms, and encouraging diversification. The outlook is for continued strong growth and moderate inflation, and only a gradual improvement in fiscal and current account deficits. As major infrastructure projects will gradually start to unwind, the current account deficit will begin to narrow. Under the current policies, the fiscal deficit is projected to remain elevated. However, successful implementation of tax reforms and improved tax administration, together with measures to contain budgetary spending, would result in a narrowing of both fiscal and current account deficits and mitigate the risks posed by high and rising public and external debt.