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Law > Business and Financial

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 17 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • South Africa x
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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Post-Financing Assessment-Press Release; and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This paper presents South Africa’s Post-Financing Assessment report. The new government of national unity that took office in June faces significant challenges, including declining real per capita growth, high unemployment, poverty, and inequality, and a rising level of public debt. The new administration has committed to address these challenges by continuing ongoing structural reforms aimed at addressing supply constraints and bolstering inclusive growth, while maintaining fiscal discipline. Monetary policy should carefully manage the descent of inflation to the mid-point of the target range and stay data dependent. The report recommends that policies should focus on bolstering inclusive growth and restoring fiscal sustainability, while managing the descent of inflation to target and safeguarding financial stability. Monetary policy should stay data dependent and rate cuts be considered only after inflation declines sustainably toward the midpoint of the target range. The authorities should continue to monitor financial sector risks, including those related to the bank-sovereign nexus, and enhance supervision and prudential regulations.
Keywords:
U.S. dollar; inflation decline; government operation; per-capita GDP figure; Policy discussion; IMF's transparency policy; IMF team; Fiscal stance; Africa; Global
Cover Technical Assistance Reports
Kingdom of Eswatini: Technical Assistance Report-Financial Sector Stability Review
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department and International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.
The IMF conducted a diagnostic review of the financial system of the Kingdom of Eswatini and proposed a Technical Assistance Roadmap to support the authorities’ detection of risks and vulnerabilities and to enhance capacity in financial sector oversight. The financial stability module focused on areas agreed with the country authorities: financial stability and systemic risk monitoring, macroprudential frameworks and tools; crisis management and financial safety net; and supervision and regulation of banks, nonbank deposit-taking institutions, insurance, and retirement funds. The financial sector statistics module focused on key gaps in monetary and financial statistics and financial soundness indicators that hamper financial stability analysis.
Keywords:
Kingdom of Eswatini; Eswatini; CBE; FSRA; FSSR; financial stability; systemic risk; macroprudential frameworks; stress testing; crisis management; financial safety net; banking supervision and regulation; nonbanking supervision and regulation; deposit-taking institutions; insurance; and retirement funds.; IMF MCM; IMF Financial Sector Stability Review; IMF's MCM department; CBE governor; financial institutions Act; Eswatini building societies; Financial sector stability; Nonbank financial institutions; Retirement; Insurance companies; Africa; Southern Africa; East Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Banking Regulation and Supervision
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The implementation of a twin peaks model represents a significant change to the South African financial supervisory architecture. The Prudential Authority (PA), operating within the administration of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), is responsible for promoting and enhancing the safety and soundness of financial institutions that provide financial products and securities services. A separate authority, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority2 (FSCA), is responsible for market conduct regulation and supervision. The introduction of the twin peaks architecture was motivated by a need to increase the robustness of the financial sector regulatory and supervisory system, reinforce financial stability, improve protection of customers, and enhance cooperation among the regulators.
Keywords:
IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program; WB staff; staff team of the International Monetary Fund; FSAP's finding; bank supervision department; H. liquidity risk; Bank supervision; Corporate governance; External audit; Auditing; Africa; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Insurance Sector - Regulation and Supervision
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The South African insurance sector is large, complex, internationally active, and competitive. Supported by high penetration and density of insurance products, the insurance sector has grown to account for 18 percent of the financial sector in South Africa. The industry hosts an unusually diverse range of business models, including traditional participation focused models, bank-led conglomerates, asset management focused groups, and technology driven new entrants. Even among large insurers, risk profiles vary significantly, which is unique relative to other major insurance markets. Most large insurance groups are actively expanding their business both regionally and globally.
Keywords:
IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program; solvency assessment; FSAP's finding; B. solvency requirement; life insurer; Insurance companies; Insurance; Stress testing; Financial Sector Assessment Program; Solvency; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Systemic Risk Oversight and Macroprudential Policy
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
South Africa has made significant progress in strengthening its macroprudential policy framework and foundations since the 2014 FSAP. Institutional arrangements were overhauled by the 2017 Financial Sector Regulations Act that, among others, introduced the current ‘Twin Peaks’ structure, provided SARB with a strong financial stability mandate, and sought to foster interagency coordination and collaboration (including via the establishment of the Financial System Council of Regulators. As a result, South Africa has a hybrid macroprudential policy framework that combines a ‘strong’ decision maker in the SARB Governor, but that is importantly supported by an advisory committee structure, fostering effective cooperation and coordination. Systemic risk monitoring has also been enhanced and some macroprudential policy tools phased-in.
Keywords:
IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program; International Monetary Fund Washington, d.c; Macroprudential Policy action; FSAP's finding; staff team of the International Monetary Fund; Financial sector stability; Macroprudential policy; Systemic risk; Macroprudential policy instruments; Africa; Global
Cover FinTech Notes
Capital Flow Management Measures in the Digital Age: Challenges of Crypto Assets
Mr. Dong He, Annamaria Kokenyne, Xavier Lavayssière, Ms. Inutu Lukonga, Nadine Schwarz, Nobuyasu Sugimoto, and Jeanne Verrier
Capital flow management measures (CFMs) can be part of the broader policy toolkit to help countries reap the benefits of capital flows while managing the associated risks. Their implementation typically requires that financial intermediaries verify the nature of transactions and the identities of transacting parties but is facing the rising challenge of crypto assets. Indeed, crypto assets have become a significant instrument for payments and speculative investments in some countries. They can be traded pseudonymously and held without identification of the residency of the asset holder. Many crypto service providers operate across borders, making supervision and enforcement by national authorities more difficult. The challenges posed by the attributes of crypto assets are compounded by gaps in the legal and regulatory frameworks. This paper aims to discuss how crypto assets could impact the effectiveness of CFMs from a structural and longer-term perspective. To preserve the effectiveness of CFMs against crypto-related challenges, policymakers need to consider a multifaceted strategy whose essential elements include clarifying the legal status of crypto assets and ensuring that CFM laws and regulations cover them; devising a comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated regulatory approach to crypto assets and applying it effectively to CFMs; establishing international collaborative arrangements for supervision of crypto assets; addressing data gaps and leveraging technology (regtech and suptech) to create anomaly-detection models and red-flag indicators that will allow for timely risk monitoring and CFM implementation.
Keywords:
capital flow management measures; CFMs; crypto assets; digital currencies; Regtech; Suptech; untraceable transactions; crypto exchanges; distributed ledger technology; Bitcoin; FINTECH note; asset holder; capital outflow restriction; crypto asset Adoption; crypto-asset exchange; Virtual currencies; Capital flow management; Blockchain and DLT; Capital flows; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Financial System Stability Assessment
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The economy recovered strongly in 2021, following an unprecedented real output contraction in 2020. However, the outlook remains precarious amidst projected future low growth, high unemployment and adverse debt dynamics, and the recovery pace is unlikely to be sustained. Ample buffers allowed the financial system to handle the COVID-19 shock relatively well, but domestic and external downside risks remain substantial—with potential implications for asset quality, profitability, and solvency.
Keywords:
B. bank solvency stress tests; IMF mission chief; foster market entry; increase capital market financing; coverage ratio; financial system structure; FSAP finding; D. nonbank risk analysis; Financial Sector Assessment Program; Stress testing; Insurance companies; COVID-19; Africa; Global
Cover IMF How To Notes
How to Implement Strategic Foresight (and Why)
Mr. Alberto Behar and Sandile Hlatshwayo
This note explains the value of strategic foresight and provides implementation advice based on the IMF’s experience with scenario planning and policy gaming. Section II provides an overview of strategic foresight and some of its tools. Scenario planning and policy gaming have been the Fund’s main foresight techniques so far, though other tools have been complementary. Accordingly, section III focuses on the scenario planning by illustrating applications before detailing the methods we have been using, while section IV describes policy gaming including the matrix policy gaming approach with which we have experimented so far. Section V summarizes the key points. In so doing, the note extends an invitation to those in the economics and finance fields (e.g., researchers, policymakers) to incorporate strategic foresight in their analysis and decision making.
Keywords:
risk-preparedness framework; Policy game; data IMF Library; guidance note; scenario planning; Futures; Stress testing; Emerging and frontier financial markets; COVID-19; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Namibia: Financial System Stability Assessment
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The paper assesses the stability of Namibia’s financial system. Macrofinancial vulnerabilities have built up over a period of rapid economic growth in Namibia, and the financial cycle has now turned down. The sovereign debt/GDP ratio has nearly doubled since 2014 which has reinforced the already strong bank-sovereign link. The rapid rise in housing prices and household debt, banks’ large exposure to mortgages, and banks reliance on wholesale funding are sources of concern. A major decline in real estate prices would adversely affect bank capital and profitability. Financial sector oversight has been strengthened significantly since the 2006 Financial System Assessment Program, but further upgrades are needed.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Bank of Namibia and NAMFISA Acts; financial system; unit trust; bank assets; cars well; NPL ratio; bank capital; bank default; oversight action; markets Bill; market conduct issue; bank of Namibia; bank funding; Pension spending; Commercial banks; Nonbank financial institutions; Africa; Global