Tough Political Decisions Needed to Fix the Financial System

Posted on June 20, 2011 by iMFdirect

   By José Viñals

(Versions in عربي,  中文, Español, Français, Русский)

It was fitting that I should present our latest assessment of global financial stability in Sao Paulo, the financial center of one of the leading emerging economies. In common with many of its peers in Latin America, Brazil is recovering strongly from the crisis. But new financial stability challenges are emerging in this, and other fast-growing regions.

Let me start with three key messages:

  •  First, financial risks have increased since April.
  • Second, as a result, policymakers in both advanced and emerging economies need to step up their efforts to preserve financial stability and safeguard the recovery.
  • And third, we have entered into a new phase of the crisis – a political phase- when tough political decisions will need to be made, because the window for substantial policy action is closing. Time is of the essence.  (more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Emerging Markets, Europe, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, IMF | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Global Challenges, Global Solutions

Posted on April 14, 2011 by iMFdirect

By iMFdirect

The IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings are upon us here in Washington DC.

With global challenges that require global solutions—the theme of the meetings—IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn reminds us that this is “not the time for complacency.”

Government ministers and officials, members of civil society organizations, journalists, and others are flocking to Washington DC this week to discuss and decide on key issues facing the global economy. (more…)

Filed under: Annual Meetings, Civil Society, Economic outlook, Employment, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Multilateral Cooperation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Avoiding Another Year of Living Dangerously: Time to Secure Financial Stability

Posted on April 13, 2011 by iMFdirect

By José Viñals

In various guises, the “Year of Living Dangerously” has been used to describe the global financial crisis, the policy response to the crisis, and its aftermath.

But, we’ve slipped well beyond a year and the financial system is still flirting with danger. Durable financial stability has, so far, proven elusive.

Financial stability risks may have eased, reflecting improvements in the economic outlook and continuing accommodative policies. But those supportive policies—while necessary to restart the economy—have also masked serious, underlying financial vulnerabilities that need to be addressed as quickly as possible. (more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Emerging Markets, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Reducing the Chance of Pulling the Plug on Liquidity

Posted on April 6, 2011 by iMFdirect

By Jeanne Gobat

The near collapse of the financial system that set off the global crisis was due in part to financial institutions suddenly lacking access to funding markets, and liquidity drying-up across securities markets.

Many financial institutions were unable to roll over or obtain short term funding without sustaining significant losses. This threatened to sink them.

Financial institutions did not factor in how their own responses to a liquidity shortfall could make the entire system shut down and less stable—that is, they underestimated their contribution to systemic liquidity risk in good times, and did not bear the cost of their actions on others in bad times.

It only takes a few institutions to pull the plug on a liquidity-filled bathtub before it runs dry, and the central bank needs to open the spigots again. (more…)

Filed under: Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

“Combination of Worries” Gets Attention in Davos

Posted on January 28, 2011 by iMFdirect

By iMFdirect

Europe’s sovereign debt crisis, fiscal challenges in advanced economies, concerns about overheating in emerging market countries, and the impact of rising food prices. These are the hot topics at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and a clear sign of the tensions and risks as the global economy recovers.

In a video interview from Davos, IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky tells us that, with the return of global growth, the mood is certainly more optimistic than it was a year or two ago. But there is also a clear sense among delegates that this has not solved some of the world’s important economic problems. (more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Emerging Markets, IMF, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Time Waits for No Man: How to Secure Financial Stability in 2011

Posted on January 25, 2011 by iMFdirect

By José Viñals

(Version in Español | 中文 | Français | 日本語 | Русский | عربي )

This morning, I presented our latest views on global financial stability in Johannesburg, South Africa.

So, where does the global financial system stand at the moment? Yes, we have witnessed improvements recently, but we are also observing a dichotomy between the economy and the financial system. While the global economic recovery has been continuing, financial stability is still at risk, because of a persistent lack of investor confidence in some advanced country sovereigns and their banking systems.

At this cross-roads, we see three key messages. (more…)

Filed under: Economic Crisis, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Breaking the Buck—Reducing Systemic Risks Posed by Money Market Mutual Funds

Posted on November 10, 2010 by iMFdirect

By Jeanne Gobat

The breakdown of the short-term funding markets was one of the most striking features of the global financial crisis. Equally astonishing, and unexpected, was the central role that U.S. money market mutual funds played in contributing to this wholesale shut-down.

In our chapter on systemic liquidity risk in the October 2010 Global Financial Stability Report, we describe this aspect of the financial crisis and propose some concrete recommendations on how to fix it. (more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Economic Crisis, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, IMF, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Financial System Fragilities – Achilles’ Heel of Economic Recovery

Posted on October 5, 2010 by iMFdirect

By José Viñals

It would be unfair for any assessment of global economic and financial stability not to acknowledge that tremendous progress has been made in repairing and strengthening the financial system since the onset of the global crisis.

Still, the key message from the IMF’s October 2010 Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) is clear. Progress toward global financial stability has suffered a setback over the past six months—the financial system remains the Achilles’ heel of the economic recovery. (more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Economic Crisis, Emerging Markets, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

IMF Sees Financial Risks Still Elevated

Posted on April 20, 2010 by iMFdirect

By José Viñals

Let me begin  with our overall assessment of global financial stability. The IMF has just released its new Global Financial Stability Report. We find that risks to stability have eased somewhat. The policy stimulus enacted at the height of the crisis has provided substantial support to financial institutions and markets, and has underpinned the global recovery. This has helped to improve a broad range of risk indicators and financial conditions.

And yet risks remain elevated: global financial stability has not been secured, as the recovery is still fragile, and the  repair of consumer and financial balance sheets is still ongoing. Furthermore, there are concerns over rising sovereign risks related to the buildup of public debt that need to be carefully monitored and addressed.

(more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Fiscal Stimulus, growth, International Monetary Fund, recession | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Reforming the Financial Landscape After the Crisis

Posted on April 13, 2010 by iMFdirect

Today we have released the three analytical chapters in our upcoming Global Financial Stability Report. These chapters cover some of the most relevant areas facing policymakers as they devise financial reforms that address the systemic risks that arose during the crisis and deal with potential forthcoming vulnerabilities.

Chapter 1 comes out next week. Chapter 2, published today,  focuses on two questions facing policymakers attempting to reform the financial landscape. One, whether systemic risk would be reduced by placing all regulatory functions under the purview of one entity—be that a single agency or an overseeing council? And two, if we were to use capital surcharges on financial institutions to try to limit the systemic risk associated with domino-like failures, how would we construct such surcharges?

(more…)

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Economic Crisis, Emerging Markets, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, International Monetary Fund | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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