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Middle East and Central Asia > Saudi Arabia

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 117 items for :

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Cover IMF Working Papers
Shocks and Shields: Macroeconomic Institutions During Commodity Price Swings
Rabah Arezki
,
Patrick A. Imam
, and
Kangni R Kpodar
Countries facing commodity (net) export price shocks tend to implement fiscal rules and to financially close their economies, demonstrating “macroeconomic prudence”. These effects are (unsurprisingly) asymmetric between import and export price shocks. The impact of commodity (net) export prices on macroeconomic institutions is influenced by the intensity of shocks and income levels of the countries, with higher-income countries driving the main results. These findings remain robust across various checks, including different estimators and additional control and dependent variables. These findings suggest that macroeconomic institutions are reactive to terms of trade shocks stemming from commodity price fluctuations.
Keywords:
Commodity prices; macroeconomic institutions; natural resources; resource curse; price shock; commodity export; commodity terms of trade shock; impact of commodity; commodity export windfall; Commodity price shocks; Fiscal rules; Export prices; Exchange rate arrangements; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Pakistan: 2024 Article IV Consultation and Request for an Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Pakistan
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
The 2024 Article IV Consultation discusses that Pakistan has taken key steps to restoring economic stability with consistent policy implementation under the 2023–2024 Stand-by Arrangement (SBA). The discussions focused on Pakistan’s medium-term prospects, which helped inform policies and define program objectives. The new government formed after the February elections has continued efforts to strengthen economic conditions and is embarking on a multi-year home-grown reform program to achieve resilient and inclusive economic growth. The program aims to reinforce the authorities’ efforts to bolster policy credibility and entrench stability and accelerate structural reforms to strengthen public finances, improve the provision of critical public services, and create a favorable environment for private-led growth.
Keywords:
reform agenda; SBP's effort; governance arrangement; exchange rate movement; Pakistani authorities; Tariffs; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Saudi Arabia: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented economic transformation is progressing well. Strong domestic demand is keeping non-oil growth robust while unemployment is at record lows. Inflation is contained and the current account surplus is rapidly narrowing. The recalibration of the authorities’ investment plans would help reduce overheating risks and pressures on fiscal and external accounts.
Keywords:
totaling SDR; PRGT loan resource; PRGT subsidy resource; about SDR; deposit of SDR; Foreign direct investment; Oil prices; Women; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Inflation Dynamics in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): What is the Role of External Factors?
Fozan Fareed
,
Abolfazl Rezghi
, and
Charlotte Sandoz
Inflationary pressures have intensified in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 2021-2022, mainly driven by a pick-up in tradeable goods inflation. Despite this increase, inflation remained relatively contained as compared to regional comparators. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of inflation dynamics in the region, with a focus on external factors because of GCC’s high reliance on international trade. Using a Global Vector Autoregressive model with quarterly data from 1987 to 2022, we find that external factors such as the imported inflation from main trading partners, mainly driven by China, and nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) are the main drivers of inflation in the GCC region. Additionally, we find that the direct pass-through of international commodity price shocks such as oil and raw agricultural materials is somewhat limited, after controlling for trading partners’ inflation, which can be explained by the prevalence of subsidies and administered prices in the region. Overall, since external factors are the main drivers of domestic inflation in the GCC, an increased focus on diversification, promoting food security, and ensuring prudent central bank policies, including through effective liquidity management frameworks, can play a key role in managing this impact.
Keywords:
Inflation; external shocks; GCC; panel data; GVAR.; GCC inflation; inflation dynamics; GCC country; GCC economy; inflation in GCC; Nominal effective exchange rate; Oil prices; Supply shocks; Food prices; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Burundi: Request for a 38-Month Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Burundi
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This paper highlights Burundi’s Request for a 38-Month Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). Burundi faces protracted balance of payments needs with a widening current account deficit and low foreign reserves coverage, large development needs, and macroeconomic challenges triggered by spillovers from the war in Ukraine and domestic climate shocks and livestock sanitary crisis. The 38-month arrangement under the ECF will help cushion Burundi’s adjustment and support the authorities’ reform agenda aimed at reducing debt vulnerabilities, recalibrating exchange rate and monetary policies to restore external sustainability, and strengthening inclusive economic growth and governance. Under the ECF arrangement, the authorities aim to recalibrate Burundi’s macroeconomic policy mix. They plan to restore external sustainability with the unification of the official and parallel exchange rate markets and foreign exchange market liberalization, while being attuned to financial sector vulnerabilities. They will strengthen debt sustainability and achieve a better-quality fiscal consolidation path through higher domestic revenue mobilization, scaled-up investment and better targeted spending, and prudent borrowing.
Keywords:
year contract; Burundian authorities; coordination committee; FX market liberalization; policy reform; anchor inflation expectation; Currency markets; Africa; Global; Southern Africa; East Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Commodity Shocks and Exchange Rate Regimes: Implications for the Caribbean Commodity Exporters
Mr. Ali J Al-Sadiq
and
Ms. Inci Ötker
Declining commodity prices during mid-2014-2016 posed significant challenges to commodity-exporting economies. The severe terms of trade shock associated with a sharp fall in world commodity prices have raised anew questions about the viability of pegged exchange rate regimes. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures needed to contain its spread have been associated with a significant disruption in several economic sectors, in particular, travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, adding to the downward pressure on commodity prices, a sharp fall in foreign exchange earnings, and depressed economic activity in most commodity exporters. This paper reviews country experiences with different exchange rate regimes in coping with commodity price shocks and explores the role of flexible exchange rates as a shock absorber, analyzing the macroeconomic impact of adverse term-of-trade shocks under different regimes using event study and panel vector autoregression techniques. It also analyzes, conceptually and empirically, policy and technical considerations in making exchange rate regime choices and discusses the supporting policies that should accompany a given regime choice to make that choice sustainable. It offers lessons that could be helpful to the Caribbean commodity-exporters.
Keywords:
commodity shock; commodity exporter; regime choice; Caribbean commodity-exporter; I. commodity terms-of-trade Index; Exchange rate arrangements; Exchange rate flexibility; Exchange rates; Exchange rate adjustments; Caribbean; Global; Africa
Cover Policy Papers
2020 Quota Data Update
International Monetary Fund. Finance Dept.
and
International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.
This paper presents the annual update of the quota database and extends the database by one year through 2018. The paper provides an overview of the data and of the methodology and covers the quota formula variables and calculated quota shares based on the current quota formula.
Keywords:
PP; PPP price level indices; PPP GDP share; PPP data; PPP factor; PPP GDP variable; PPP price level index; extrapolated PPP estimate; ICP benchmark; Purchasing power parity; Financial account; Middle East; Western Hemisphere; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Pakistan: Request for an Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Pakistan
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
Pakistan’s economy is at a critical juncture. Misaligned economic policies, including large fiscal deficits, loose monetary policy, and defense of an overvalued exchange rate, fueled consumption and short-term growth in recent years, but steadily eroded macroeconomic buffers, increased external and public debt, and depleted international reserves. Structural weaknesses remained largely unaddressed, including a chronically weak tax administration, a difficult business environment, inefficient and loss making SOEs, and low labor productivity amid a large informal economy. Without urgent policy action, economic and financial stability could be at risk, and growth prospects will be insufficient to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; government; letter of credit; fund letters of credit; approval; Pakistani authorities; economic reform program; overvalued exchange rate; deficit monetization; Budget planning and preparation; Global; Asia and Pacific
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Islamic Republic of Mauritania: Third Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
This paper discusses Islamic Republic of Mauritania’s Third Review of Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility. The program aims at entrenching macroeconomic stability, supporting inclusive and job creating growth, and building international reserve buffers. The authorities plan to use the prospective fiscal space prudently for priority social spending—education, health, and social protection—and public infrastructure. The economic outlook has improved, buoyed by more favorable terms of trade and the upcoming development of a large offshore gas field. Growth is projected to accelerate to 6 3/4 percent this year, supported by a recovery in extractive sectors and continued broad-based non-extractive growth reflecting strong domestic demand and budding diversification. Downside risks related to global economic developments, commodity price volatility, and regional security concerns remain elevated. Considerable challenges remain to entrench macroeconomic stability, support inclusive growth, and build resilience to shocks. The prospective fiscal space should be used prudently for priority social policies and public infrastructure.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; government; GDP; real GDP; price; government action; Mauritania's performance; authorities' effort; hydrocarbon revenue fund; Board's support; windfall gas revenue; Fiscal stance; Credit; Debt sustainability analysis; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Liquidity Management under Fixed Exchange Rate with Open Capital Account
Mariam El Hamiani Khatat
and
Mr. Romain M Veyrune
This paper introduces a theoretical framework for liquidity management under fixed exchange rate arrangement, derived from the price-specie flow mechanism of David Hume. The framework highlights that the risk of short-term money market rates un-anchoring from the uncovered interest rate parity due to money and foreign exchange market frictions could jeopardize financial stability and market development. The paper then discusses operational solutions that stabilize money market rates close to the level implied by the Uncovered Interest Rate Parity (UIP). Liquidity management under fixed exchange rate with an open capital account presents specific challenges due to: (1) the larger liquidity shocks induced by foreign reserve swings that challenge the development of money markets; and (2) more complicated liquidity forecasts. The theoretical framework is empirically tested based on the estimate of “offset” coefficients for Denmark and Hong Kong SAR.
Keywords:
WP; exchange rate; central bank; interest rate; rate; Fixed exchange rate regime; price-specie flow mechanism; uncovered interest rate parity; offset coefficients; monetary operations; autonomous factors; money and foreign exchange markets; discount window; capital account; supply curve; money market rate; excess reserves; FX intervention; central bank liquidity management; liquidity absorption operation; liquidity-providing operation; liquidity shock; money demand; country risk; Conventional peg; Exchange rate arrangements; Money markets; Liquidity management; Global